I read recently that one of Coca Cola’s defining values is that it’s always there for you in a time of crisis. At a corporate level, when natural disasters strike Coca Cola bottlers stop production of everything but water, and distribute that for free.
A financial crisis might not seem so disastrous, but people are still looking for ways to think positively and escape the sense of gloom that having half your life savings confiscated can induce. Clearly in tune with the mood of the nation, Coca Cola’s POS communication shifts effortlessly from images of partying on the beach to sharing cosy moments at home with loved ones, naturally around food.
I’m not sure what the big red ecstasy tablet is bringing to the occasion (I’m sure it looks great animated), but my eye was certainly drawn to the red gingham tablecloth (the go-to metaphor for homeliness) that Coke was using everywhere. As I pointed out in the previous blog, perhaps gingham (and not grey) is the new black?