Coke sticks with Red Lounge in China

Beijing - Coca Cola will continue to engage Red Lounge to bolster its brand in China and has completed a post-Olympic campaign themed the First Coke of the Year to celebrate the Chinese New Year.

In 2007 Coke shifted a significant portion of its creative business from McCann Erickson to Leo Burnett's Red Lounge to handle the beverage company's Olympic work.

Jean Francois Dekimpe, vice president of division marketing for Coca-Cola China, said Red Lounge was originally hired to focus on the Olympics with good results of that work having been "very positive for Coca-Cola".

He said the brand had the highest association as an Olympic sponsor and did so more efficiently and effectively than any of its co-sponsors.

"Red Lounge is all about integration and innovation, and we will build on our relationship with them, working together to take the brand to a new level in a post-Olympic environment, " Dekimpe said.

Unlike typical traditional communications using the "Year of the Ox" theme during this time of the year in China, the central themes focus on humanity and optimism through the symbolic act of sharing the First Coke of the Year.

The campaign features a poignant film of Chinese athlete Liu Xiang and his father to characterise redemption and optimism due to Liu's Olympic breakdown that resonates on the national consciousness and has drawn attention to the world media.

Beside TVC, an online campaign engages the public to participate in sharing their personal stories on who they chose to share their first Coke of the Year with that had attracted over 3.5 million responses within a week since its launch.  

Damian Coren, Red Lounge managing director, said after the economic woes of 2008, Chinese New Year has renewed its meaning as a time of human connection between family and friends.

"Now more than ever it is a powerful ignition point for individual optimism and positivity for the year ahead."

"As a beacon of positivity we felt that the act of giving someone their ‘First Coke of the Year' was a small, yet symbolic way of passing on your hope and goodwill for the year ahead," he added.

Dekimpe enthused that it's a fully integrated program that will reach people through multiple contact points, and break with the clutter.

He said initial response has been very positive and it's a "great way to start the year and continue to build an affinity with our customers".

"This Chinese New Year campaign is the first manifestation of the new body of post Olympic work and we are excited about what is under development for the year ahead," Dekimpe said.