Share a Coke launched in Australia in 2011 by printing popular first names on Coca-Cola cans and bottles. The campaign invited consumers to find a name, give the package to another person, and share the moment both offline and online.
Its branding innovation was not simply a new slogan. Coca-Cola made the package itself the medium, temporarily replacing the usual prominent presentation with personalized names. That encouraged discovery, collecting, gifting, photography, and user-generated social content.
The campaign was later adapted internationally, with different markets selecting locally familiar names and terms. It is distinct from “Have a Coke and a Smile,” a 1970s advertising slogan, and “Coke Is It!,” a 1980s campaign. Those were advertising messages; Share a Coke centered on personalized packaging.