COCA COLA

The last eighteen months have been good for Coca-Cola – in the creative and branding awards.

It has won the design Grand Prix at Cannes, two D&AD Yellow Pencils for design and advertising, plus the 2009 Emmy for an Outstanding Commercial. Most recently, it has been recognised, once again, as the top performer in Best Global Brands 2009, the annual report from brand consultancy Interbrand.

As the world’s most valuable brand, Coke comes in at $68,734 million, some three per cent higher than a year ago. This is no mean feat in a year when the global credit crunch and recession hit the brand, leading consumers to cut back on almost every area of spending – including eating and drinking out.

Coke has held its pole position for ten years, staying ahead of other famous brands such as Toyota, Disney, McDonalds, Marlboro and Intel. Quite simply, there is no other brand like it.

The report credits Coke’s success as being due in part to, “its edgy campaigns that continue to push boundaries.” In particular, it notes the current, ‘Open Happiness’ campaign that is targeted at consumers, “longing for comfort and optimism in a tough time.”

“We’re enormously proud of winning these awards,” says Pio Schunker, senior vice president for Creative Excellence, Coca-Cola, North America. “They are testament to the power of creativity and how it can reiterate Coke’s position as a leadership brand at every touch point with consumer – from advertising and packaging, to cups, vending machines and trucks.”

Keeping a big brand great – especially in creative terms – requires constant vigilance and a determination to change. Over the years, Coke has undergone various metamorphoses with the launch of brand extensions. While Diet Coke and Coke Zero are spectacularly successful others – like New Coke – were not. However, with the turn of the millennium, while Coke’s