Coca-Cola Brazil achieved remarkable success by launching the "This Coke is a Fanta" campaign during Pride Month in June 2018. This campaign transformed a derogatory phrase often used in Brazil to mock the LGBT community into a proud response from that very community. With just one can of Coca-Cola and a subtle twist in wording, Coca-Cola Brazil managed to shift an entire perception. This strategic move created a massive media buzz and earned them the prestigious Gold Lion award at Cannes Lions 2018.
Background
In Brazil, the phrase "Essa Coca é Fanta," translated as "This Coke is a Fanta" in English, was used to mock and ridicule members of the LGBT community, highlighting their perceived differences. This phrase gave rise to a wave of memes and satirical songs that perpetuated discrimination in the country. The Brazilian LGBT community was determined to combat this unfair treatment, but they needed support from influential voices to amplify their message.
Meanwhile, in 2017, Coca-Cola's annual financial report showed declining sales and revenue in Brazil, particularly among the younger demographic aged 20-35. Research by Coca-Cola indicated that this decline was due to a lack of alignment between the brand and the younger audience, who viewed Coca-Cola as somewhat traditional and even outdated.
Coca-Cola Brazil needed to address this issue swiftly and find a way to appeal to the younger audience. The question was whether they could use the LGBT theme to convince the youth that the brand was contemporary and innovative.
Objectives
The primary goal was to increase brand relevance among the young demographic (20-35 years old) by grabbing their attention and gaining their support.
Strategy
Recognizing their reputation as a traditional brand, Coca-Cola Brazil understood the importance of "scratching the right itch" to attract the youth. Instead of opting for conventional themes like family or friendships, they decided to focus on a more current and controversial topic: LGBT rights. In recent years, LGBT issues have been a hot topic of discussion and debate among young people on social media and in conversations. Additionally, the campaign leveraged the sarcastic phrase "This Coke is a Fanta," which featured two products from Coca-Cola's portfolio, to bring innovation and positive engagement to the brand. Choosing the LGBT theme was a timely and fitting decision, showcasing the brand's openness and innovation.
Creative Idea
"This Coke is a Fanta, so what?" – “Essa Coca é Fanta, e daí?”
“Đúng, tôi đồng tính, thì sao?”
By adding just two words, "so what?" Coca-Cola reversed the narrative, turning a mocking phrase into a defiant response against those who discriminated against the LGBT community. This transformation empowered the LGBT community to live proudly and unapologetically.
However, the key to the campaign's success was not just this creative idea. What truly ignited the campaign's success and garnered attention and support from the youth was the innovation in product design. Coca-Cola introduced a limited-edition can exclusively for this campaign. The can maintained the brand's colors and font, but it featured the campaign slogan, "Essa Coca é Fanta, e daí?" What made this edition truly special was what was inside the can – Coca-Cola had been replaced with Fanta! This surprise element and creative twist were the driving forces behind the campaign's success.
Implementation
Coca-Cola Brazil planned to produce a special limited-edition version of the can exclusively for key influencer partnerships. These influencers would introduce the campaign and the limited-edition product on International LGBT Pride Day (June 3, 2018) and during the pride parade in São Paulo, Brazil. The campaign was solely executed through influencers, bypassing traditional media channels.
However, after influencers introduced the campaign and the limited-edition product, Brazilian social media exploded with support for this creative and sophisticated campaign. Young people began creating their own Coca-Cola – Fanta cans, along with a wide range of products and accessories inspired by the campaign. São Paulo's pride parade was filled with the colors red and orange, representing both Coca-Cola and Fanta. The campaign's reach extended far beyond social media and into real-life events.
Results
With just one Coca-Cola can featuring the slogan "Essa Coca é Fanta, e daí?" and an investment in communication costs, Coca-Cola Brazil achieved:
1,068,984,850 media impressions.
Positive transformation of Google search results for the phrases "This Coke is a Fanta" and "Essa Coca é Fanta" without any additional SEO or promotion efforts. Negative search results and derogatory content were replaced with proud and inspiring videos, articles, and images from the LGBT community.
A surge in the creation and sale of products, clothing, and accessories inspired by the campaign during Pride Month.
"That Coke is a Fanta" became the most searched phrase in Google's search history.
Trending status on Twitter.
Awards
Media Lions – Gold Lion.
The "This Coke is a Fanta" campaign not only successfully increased brand relevance among young consumers but also challenged and dismantled a negative stereotype about the LGBTQ+ community. It provided an opportunity for the LGBTQ+ community to be proud of who they are and express themselves without fear of judgment. Coca-Cola Brazil's success stemmed from their ability to recognize their challenge and address it with innovation and creativity. Through this approach, Coca-Cola Brazil not only spread a positive message but also positively impacted the community.
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