Dive Brief:

• Coca-Cola has opened a contest that allows fans to enter for the chance to stay the night in its iconic Christmas truck on Dec. 15, according to Cosmopolitan.
• The two winning guests can watch Christmas films, listen to holiday music and drink Coca-Cola while being surrounded by the truck's 8,772 lights. The prize includes dinner with holiday trimmings and loaded stockings to unwrap. The truck is outfitted with twin beds.
• The truck is based in the U.K., and the contest can be entered by anyone 18 or older at Lateroom.com through midday on Dec. 8.

Dive Insight:

Coke might be in the midst of a company-wide digital transformation, but the latest U.K.-based effort shows how it's adding a personal touch to its holiday marketing this year by providing fans with a tangible real-world experience.

Food and beverage brands have a rich history of their vehicles doubling as marketing material, from the iconic Oscar Mayer Wienermobile — now technically a 'WienerFleet' —  to Budweiser's Clydesdale-drawn carriages to, obviously, Coke's Christmas truck. The soft drink brand is putting a clever spin on that idea with what's essentially a destination sleepover that fits snugly into the spirit of the season.  

The idea of brand-backed vacation contests or sweepstakes isn't particularly new but has grown more popular with the rise in digital travel services and young consumer groups like millennials' predilection toward experiential marketing. Coke's Christmas truck promotion is reminiscent of a campaign from last year where Taco Bell turned one of its Canadian restaurants into an Airbnb for the night to promote a new menu item.