Coca-Cola Australia has announced a new multimillion-dollar campaign that communicates to consumers that its hero product has no added preservatives or artificial flavours.
Entitled ‘Pemberton’ after US pharmacist Dr John Pemberton who invented Coca-Cola in 1886, the campaign is designed to tackle the widely held perception that the product contains artificial substances.
Consumer research by Galaxy Omnibus showed 87 per cent of Australians think Coca-Cola contains artificial flavours and 84 per cent believe it has added preservatives. A further 65 per cent believe the formula for Coca-Cola has changed or is constantly changing with technological advances and new ingredients.
“Our research has highlighted that there is still a need and an opportunity to remind consumers that Coca-Cola is the ‘real thing’,” said Coca-Cola region marketing director – South Pacific, Lucie Austin. “The Pemberton campaign is simply about letting consumers know that the formula for Coca-Cola has not changed for more than 120 years.”
Adapted locally from a global campaign that has already been launched in Israel, the UK, Spain and Canada, Pemberton begins Sunday (September 7) on TV, billboards, print, package messaging and PR.
The first on-pack messaging — ‘No added preservatives. No artificial flavours. Since 1886’ — will appear on the coming 200ml portion control packs of Coca-Cola. New slim line mini cans will be available at Woolworths from November.