Coke Zero turns one with splash

• Coke Zero records strong market growth
• Second only to market leader Coke Light
• Marketing played critical role in success
  

Singapore - Marketing for Coke Zero has helped the new entrant record strong market growth in its category ahead of the brand's one year anniversary in Singapore.

The brand, which launched locally in March last year, ended 2008 with full year volume share of 42.7% of the non-sugar sparkling beverages category, second only to market leader Coca-Cola Light which took 44.4% of the non-sugar sparkling category - according to Nielsen Retail Audit Jan-Dec 2008.

"We built awareness of our proposition 'Real Coca-Cola Taste, Zero Sugar' across all consumer touchpoints, incorporating a call-to-action through our tagline 'Taste It To Believe It'," Ng Hui Ling, assistant brand manager of Coke Zero, said.

"We also ensured that the product was made available in its optimum format and packaging to guarantee a superior consumption experience for our consumers."

Among the touchpoints employed was the launch of a specially-created for Singapore TVC, which went against previous Coke product launches where US ads were merely altered to suit the local market. Creative for this TVC was done by McCann Erickson Malaysia.

Building on the success of the initial Coke Zero launch in the Singapore, the beverage giant also toyed with user-generated-content, inviting the public to star in its new ad campaign. This campaign helped the brand build awareness and trial for the product by showcasing consumers who endorse its proposition of 'Real Coca-Cola Taste, Zero Sugar'.

It asked 'Over two million people tasted Coke Zero, have you?' and encouraged or gave incentives for the public to send in pictures of themselves drinking Coke Zero to TVMobile's website. A handful of entries made it on Channel 5, 8, and U as well as TVMobile.

To date, the equivalent of almost 18 million 330ml cans of Coke Zero have been enjoyed in Singapore in the last 12 months according to Coke.

"Two key elements of our marketing program were critical in driving the spectacular performance for Coca-Cola Zero in its launch year," Ng said.

"One was leveraging the power of the Coca-Cola system, drawing from global resources and learnings before adapting the communication based on locally relevant consumer insights. The other was to focus on delivering a single message to consumers via two key pillars, namely awareness and product sampling."