The 'Share a Coke’ campaign is a standout example of how a global brand can successfully scale a genius local idea. Originally launched in Australia in 2011, the promotion replaced the iconic Coca-Cola logo on 500ml bottles with 150 of the country’s most popular first names among teens and young adults. The result: a 7% uplift in sales. Recognising its impact, Coca-Cola replicated the campaign in over 80 countries, achieving similar success. In major markets like the U.S. and the U.K., it helped reverse years of declining sales. In the U.S., Nielsen data (cited in Coca-Cola’s entry to the MRS/IPA Social Works Awards) showed that almost half of the 20‑ounce sales uplift came from increased household penetration - a sign that the campaign attracted new and lapsed buyers, not just loyalists which is exactly what an effective promotion should do.
The campaign’s power lay in how it tapped into deep psychological and social motivations:
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1. Self-recognition - People are hardwired to notice and respond positively to their own name (a phenomenon known as the “cocktail party effect”).
2. Strengthening relationships - Gifting a Coke with someone’s name on it offered a small but meaningful way to connect with friends and family.
3. Social expression -The campaign gave people a conversation starter and a way to share personal moments, both in real life and on social media.
4. FOMO and collectability - With limited name availability, the campaign played into our instinct to collect and avoid missing out.
5. Nostalgia - For older consumers, the campaign evoked memories of Coke’s classic “Share a Coke and a Smile” ads from the late 1970s.
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Importantly, the campaign was also cost-effective. Thanks to advances in digital printing, personalisation could be delivered at scale without major production overhauls. And because the idea was inherently engaging, it required less paid advertising support - users publicised the promotion themselves by posting about their personalised bottles online.

A similar promotional concept has been used by other major packaged goods brands including Cadbury’s Dairy Milk, M&Ms and Nutella.