Happiness is contagious, and that “contagious” quality is where marketing meets the market. Not only does the Coca-Cola brand have a “lock” on happiness (after all, what other beverage can claim branding rights to Christmas?), Coca-Cola’s latest video, The Happiness Machine, is a perfect example of how viral happiness can be.
The brand’s first viral venture captures what happened when they placed a very special vending machine on a college campus. The video launched on January 12 and topped a million views yesterday based solely on people sharing the video through Twitter, Facebook, blogs, and word-of-mouth. The people in the video and people spreading the video will forever share a memory that cements the association of happiness with Coca-Cola.
I know I have great memories of Coca-Cola from when I was a kid at my grandparents’ house… it was all they every drank (Sorry, Pepsi). I remember so clearly the hot Texas summers, and then, in the midst of the sweaty afternoon, there was a silver tray with ice-cold bottles of Coke and silver mint julep cups. My mouth still waters as I evoke the memory.
How can marketers create these special moments… this magic? And not just “viral video” magic, but that everyday life magic of the emotional connection that bonds people with your brand. Can we conceive of the complete story and lead people down a path of creating smiles? When you strategize on the reach of your marketing campaigns, do you think about the object, service, or experience in a way that creates an effect well over the horizon? As marketers, that is our challenge and mission.
Coca-Cola’s new video… The Happiness Machine
About Wendi McGowan