Best Campaign Targeting a Specific Demographic
Agency: Escalate
Campaign: Coca-Cola Swelter Stopper
Client: The Coca-Cola Company
Account Manager: Adolfo Vasquez
Coca-Cola reports that young adults 13-24 lack many of the special connections with the brand that Coke enjoyed with prior generations. To ensure a healthy franchise today and in the future, Coke needed to connect with this important consumer group.
They developed the Swelter Stopper program to ignite brand passion among the target group. The program included a multi-tiered marketing program, including live activation, digital, mobile and word of mouth marketing.
A human-sized snow globe (22’H x 30W’) was chilled inside to cool consumers down from the sweltering summer heat. During the summer months, consumers entered the Swelter Stopper dome through a Coca-Cola-bottle-shaped door. Before entering, they could peer through key-hole shaped windows to see snow swirling and people dancing. Upon entering, they were greeted with blasts of frosty air, swirling snow and chilling temperatures. Energetic music played along with a video called Coca-Cola Mythology, which talked about Coke’s secret formula.
The DJ directed guests to a variety of activities inside the dome, including a branded Nintendo Wii interactive snowboard gaming station. Ambassadors at the Coca-Cola “Perfect Serve” Ice Bar served sample-sized Coke slushes at 37 degrees.
To help consumers capture the moment, they could have their photo taken with the well-known Coca-Cola Polar Bear who was positioned on a snow covered mountain backdrop. Visitors were also supplied with props to enhance the winter effect, including branded snowboards, ski goggles, snowshoes, winter attire and more. Photos were uploaded to FLICKR so guests could download, view and share them with their social networks.
Altogether, two Swelter Stopper teams activated 98 events in 42 cities across the U.S. More than 278,000 guests experienced the dome.
Coke partnered with Live Nation, Six Flags and Disney to spread the message and reached out to blogs, Facebook and Twitter. Consumers were encouraged to spread the word of their experience by sharing their photos and videos.
Mobile (over the road) impressions reached 6.8 million. Facebook generated 10.9 million impressions and 116,277 new fans. Roughly 16,700 photos were uploaded to FLICKR, which received 43,501 views. Fifty-three blogs and websites wrote about the Swelter Stopper. Third party research (conducted by ChatThreads) reported that 86% said they LIKED or LOVED Swelter Stopper; 66% said they planned to tell friends.
