Coca-Cola has relaunched its 2013 personalised bottles for a Gen Z audience, giving customers the chance to buy and share bottles featuring their names and terms of endearment like ‘Bro’, ‘Dude’, ‘Sis’, and… ‘Friend’.
The campaign was a bit back in those heady days. Back then it was Barack Obama in the White House, The Last of Us was a hit new video game, and Star Wars had recently been sold to Disney.
Nowadays the world seems more complicated, fractured and worrying, although maybe it was always that way and we’re all just a bit older and more chronically-online.
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Not one to watch its closest rival spend too long hogging the limelight, Pepsi has retaliated against Coca-Cola’s nostalgic bottles with its own tongue-in-cheek parody.
Just a month after it launched its Crashers ad campaign that saw undercover Pepsi workers sneak into barbecues and parties to swap out the Cokes for Pepsis, the fun-loving marketing team has mimicked the ‘Share a Coke’ campaign by adding ‘personalised’ phrases to its own bottles.
With words like ‘Wings’, ‘Burgers’, and ‘Pizza’ emblazoned across them, the campaign not only teases Pepsi’s biggest competitor but offers suggestions for foods that Pepsi pairs particularly well with.
"Real flavour magic happens when Pepsi meets great food, elevating every bite with bold refreshment," said Pepsi's VP of marketing Gustavo Reyna.
"That's why our limited-edition ‘Share a Pepsi' bottles showcase fan-favourite grill classics, inspiring everyone to grab their go-to dish and enjoy it with an ice-cold Pepsi."
In its June 12th announcement, Pepsi said: “The best way to share a cola is with a taco, not a Tom, and with a pizza, not a Paige.
"With its unique flavour and sweetness, balanced with a refreshingly crisp fizz, Pepsi is the perfect accompaniment to cut through delectable eats. 'Share a Pepsi' encourages fans to savour the bold flavours of Pepsi and their favourite foods first, then bring friends and family together - because unforgettable taste creates lasting memories."
Coca-Cola’s ‘Share a Coke’ campaign nevertheless looks set to take Gen Z by storm this summer, just as it did with their Millennial predecessors in the olden days of 2013. If you can’t find your name on a bottle in a store, you can head to Coca-Cola’s website to get a special one printed.
When you’re out browsing for your name, spare a thought for the kids named ‘Khaleesi’ – those guys really haven’t been dealt the best hand with that one.
Rachael Davis