Coca-Cola Co. will begin a new text message program May 5 giving consumers the opportunity to win prizes every two minutes and the option to opt-in to the brand?s mobile database for ongoing communication.

The ?Twist, TXT, Win? initiative focuses on 20 oz. Coca-Cola products, which carry the on-package call-to-action ?Twist, TXT?u could win.? Consumers who text in the alphanumeric code under the cap get an immediate response via SMS telling them whether or not they have won a prize.

?Consumers just text the code under the cap to 84478 and they instantly find out if they have won a prize,? said Thi Linh Wernau, vice president of sales and account management at Mobile Messaging Solutions, Boston. ?It is largely dependent on mobile as the activation channel.

?The immediacy of engagement and gratification of the reward makes mobile the perfect channel for this type of initiative,? she said.

Twist, TXT, Win a prize
Mobile Messaging Solutions is powering the initiative for Coca-Cola.

The Coca-Cola program is designed to help drive velocity of the ongoing purchase. It is meant to make consumers more likely to purchase a Coca-Cola product rather than a competitor?s because of the prize incentive.

Besides providing immediate gratification with instant-win prizes, consumers also get points for the My Coke Rewards loyalty program that is available online and via mobile.

By doing so, Coca-Cola keeps the consumer experience going for a longer period of time, beyond the sweepstakes. Instead, consumers are challenged to gather points on My Coke Rewards and redeem them for physical rewards, digital rewards and to enter sweepstakes.

Two-way dialogue
The My Coke Rewards program is a way for Coke to have a two-way dialogue with consumers and reward them for drinking its beverages.

Consumers text the code under the cap to 2563 (COKE) to collect points. Right now consumers can manage their loyalty accounts online. Ms. Wernau said that there are richer experiences in the works such as a mobile app and mobile Web.

Coca-Cola asks loyalists to opt-in to receive future marketing messages.

?Basically the goal is to repeat consumption of Coca-Cola products,? Ms. Wernau said. ?All of the engagement is happening via mobile.

?There are other forms of entry, but mobile is the predominant form,? she said. ?The 2010 Twist, TXT, Win and the My Coke Rewards programs are successful, as they have inspired similar programs.

?It is a true testament to mobile engagement.?