Coca-Cola salutes 'holiday heroes' with personalized soda bottles

Dive Brief:

Coca-Cola will introduce special packaging naming everyday heroes, such as nurses, teachers, moms and grandparents, in an extension of the brand's iconic "Share a Coke" campaign, according to information emailed to Marketing Dive. The Holiday Heroes packaging will include more than 40 monikers celebrating those who have gone the extra mile helping their communities and families this year.
To introduce the campaign, the brand teamed with award-winning chef, restaurateur and philanthropist Marcus Samuelsson. In a video for the company, Samuelsson salutes a member of his staff who has gone to great lengths throughout the pandemic as his holiday hero.
In addition to sharing their beverages, consumers are encouraged to share stories about their holiday hero on social media, tagging the brand and using the hashtag #ShareACoke. Fans can also visit CokeStore.com to send a special bottle to someone who is brightening their holiday.

Dive Insight:

With a century's worth of iconic holiday imagery (including polar bears, penguins and the modern version of Santa Claus), Coca-Cola's holiday marketing has become intertwined with the yuletide season. Many traditions have been upended by the COVID-19 pandemic this year, driving the brand to offer fans a way to acknowledge those who deserve an extra thanks.

In the video celebrating his personal Holiday Hero, Samuelsson calls out Anissa Sherard, who works at the chef’s Red Rooster Harlem restaurant and helped deliver more than 220,000 meals in partnership with World Central Kitchen during the pandemic.

"Despite being affected by pandemic closures, Anissa volunteered to bring meals to people experiencing food insecurities, essential workers, and the elderly throughout the Harlem community," Samuelsson said in a statement. "That inspiration is at the heart of what Coca-Cola embodies, especially during the holidays, and why I'm grateful to partner with them this year."

Earlier this year, Coca-Cola released a similarly themed commercial saluting service members and healthcare workers in a commercial called "For Everyone." The spot, which aired during the telecast of the Coca-Cola NASCAR 600, offered appreciation for teachers, healthcare workers, first responders and other helpers throughout the pandemic. Meanwhile, Diet Coke introduced a sweepstakes through which fans could nominate a deserving person to win a year's supply of free soda.

The special bottles will begin appearing on store shelves today (Dec. 2) and will be available while supplies last. In addition to purchasing their own holiday hero-themed bottle, consumers can send a customized 8-ounce glass bottle to their personal hero through the Coke Store website. The personalization push come as the company looks to grow its e-commerce capabilities, as many CPG brands have done during the pandemic.

In addition to the Holiday Heroes packaging, Coca-Cola has launched a more traditional holiday commercial depicting a father's journey to the North Pole to fulfill his daughter's Christmas wish. The spot, directed by Academy Award-winner Taika Waititi, encourages people to "Give a gift only you can give."