This Coca-Cola Brand Activation Brought “Real Magic” to Holiday Shoppers
February 27, 2024
Brand activations are powerful tools for building customer affinity. They surprise and delight. They bring an audience into the brand’s world. They give people something to talk about and share on social media.
And by definition, brand activations can only happen out of home.
That’s why Coca-Cola enlisted OUTFRONT to help activate consumers in one of Southern California’s busiest lifestyle centers at the very height of the holiday season.
The Americana at Brand is among the region’s most upscale shopping, dining, entertainment destinations. It’s located in Glendale, just across the freeway from LA’s ultra-trendy Westside neighborhoods of Los Feliz, Echo Park, and Silver Lake. Inspired by the classic American town square, this mixed-use Caruso property is visited by over 16 million people annually and home sweet home to hundreds more (SOURCE: Caruso).
It's also home to one of the most spectacular digital billboards in Los Angeles – our Digital Elevator Tower, an unmissable 600-square-foot behemoth located right in the heart of the complex. The Digital Elevator Tower just happens to be one of the best screens in town on which to execute dimensional creative, colloquially known as the 3D billboard.
The digital out of home spot Coca-Cola ran was part of its global “Masterpiece” campaign, in which famed works of art from the likes of Hiroshige, Van Gogh, and Munch come alive to inspire a student – by way of sharing a Coke. The campaign is part of Coca-Cola's “Real Magic” brand platform.
So, what exactly does “Real Magic” look like?
Like Johannes Vermeer’s 1665 “Girl with a Pearl Earring,” as it turns out. Now animated and in 3D, the eponymous Girl tosses a bottle of Coca-Cola into the air, into a tube on the screen. A custom vending machine directly below would then dispense a complimentary bottle of Coca-Cola to thirsty shoppers! Every time the ad ran, someone got a free Coke.
With a little help from a pair of brand ambassadors, the Girl gave out 952 bottles – that’s nearly four full pallets of soda! With an estimated 75,000 shoppers visiting the mall that day – two days before Christmas – the activation directly touched nearly 1 out of every 75 shoppers, to say nothing of the many, many more who didn’t get a free Coca-Cola but were still exposed to the ad (SOURCE: Caruso).
A true win-win, brand activations don’t just excite consumers – they elevate the places where they happen.
"Caruso is honored to have hosted Coca-Cola's groundbreaking digital vending machine activation at The Americana at Brand; the sole West Coast location for this immersive event,” said Corey Conrad, the company's Senior Vice President of Brand Partnerships. “Our commitment to enhancing visitor experience perfectly aligns with this innovative venture, where Coca-Cola's activation seamlessly integrated with our newly-installed digital signage.”
Besides its day on the Digital Elevator Tower, Coca-Cola supported the activation by showcasing the campaign in West Hollywood on our Digital Bus Shelters. It has also run on our transit media in New York City, Atlanta, and Miami.
Out of home advertising provides a powerful platform from which brands can activate their audiences. If it’s time to activate yours, let’s get it started – reach out today.
Author: Jay Fenster, Marketing Manager @ OUTFRONT Links to third-party content are not endorsed by OUTFRONT Media.
