WEF CASE STUDY: Coke Light

Agency: O&M Advertising , Hong Kong

Client: Coca-Cola China Limited (HK Region)

Country: Hong Kong

Creative Summary: Burning 1 calorie is unbelievably easy

It's always risky to go against the flow, but with the greatest risks come the greatest rewards. Bracing itself against a tide of ‘healthier-to-drink' beverages, in a market where sales of Carbonated Soft Drinks (CSD) seem doomed to sink, O&M took the challenge of reeducating its client's target audience (age 20 to 29) with the ultimate goal of reversing Coke Light's decline in sales since 2002.

A simple but insightful strategy created newly associated models with the concept of ‘light', by deliberately making the 1-calorie benefit shine. Through clever and unpredictable use of media, consumers were given a tangible quantifiable sense of what 1 calorie stands for. The delivery mechanism - a mnemonic character, ‘Calorie Buster Coach', introduced daily trivial activities that easily burn one calorie.

This bold approach saw the product finally experience rare double digit growth of +21% versus 2005, even hitting its 2002 sales record. In a category overflowing with competition, exposing your percieved weaknesses can sometimes prove to be your strength.

This is a summary of one of 25 cases that are going to be presented in depth at the World Effie Festival, 28 and 29 February 2008. To learn more about the inaugural event in Singapore please visit: http://www.ias.org.sg/events/world_effie_2008.html