COCA COLA ENVISIONS NEW NIGERIA
L – R: Communications Manager, Nigerian Bottling Company Plc, Ms. Yomi Onakoya; Public Affairs and Communications Director, Coca-Cola Nigeria Limited, Mrs. Irene Ubah the Marketing Director, Coca-Cola Nigeria Limited, Mr. Austin Ufomba and Senior Brand Manager(Cola), Coca-Cola Nigeria Limited, Ms. Modupe Thani at the unveiling of Open 4 Happiness Promo by Coca-Cola, a celebration of Nigeria at 50 held in Lagos recently.
Anniversaries worldwide are times to look backwards, meditate, re-strategize and plan ahead. With only 33 days to our country's 50th anniversary, Coca-Cola Nigeria envisaged a blissful new Nigeria. The world's largest beverage company stretched its 'Open Happiness' campaign to include a consumer promo designed to splash over N300 million on Nigerians as part of its activities to commemorate the nation's golden jubilee.
Coca-Cola Nigeria-Open-Happiness is an evolution of the 'Coke side of Life' campaign developed by the McCann Erickson creative agency. Right from January 21, 2009 when it was first televised on American Idol reality television series, on FOX television in the US, 'Open Happiness' campaign has consistently served as a primary platform for all integrated marketing for the Coca-Cola brand in more than 200 countries around the world it is sold.
Speaking recently at the media briefing heralding the commencement of a new campaign tagged 'Open 4 Happiness Promotion' at Protea Hotel, Lagos, Austin Ufomba, Marketing Director, Coca-Cola Nigeria Limited said the campaign is part of the 'Open Happiness' campaign of the brand which was also the messaging platform for the jus-concluded FIFA World Cup tournament. He stressed that Nigeria having attained the golden age of 50, Coca-Cola will celebrate with Nigerians in a unique way. He said this campaign goes beyond marketing - it is a social and a cultural celebration of Coca-Cola's bond with the people of Nigeria.
Ufomba also beckoned on Nigerians to bring positivity, optimism and fun into their lives and envision a new Nigeria.
At the launch of the 'Open Happiness' campaign last year, Chief Marketing Officer, Joe Tripodi, said from onset the brand has always tried to express a refreshingly positive view of the world.
'Open Happiness builds on that heritage, recognizing that even with the difficulties and stress of modern-day life there still are opportunities, every day, to find a moment to recognize life's simple pleasures. This new campaign reminds people that Coke is always there to offer that small moment of fun and refreshment when you need it', explained Tripodi.
Built around the theme; 'A New State of Happiness' the 'Open 4 Happiness' promotion campaign depicts the paradigm in which a positive expectation of Nigeria's future is portrayed. It represents the future Nigeria that all the citizens look forward to.
This sense of happiness and hopeful optimism, Ufomba noted, is the 'Naija spirit' that keeps the Nigerian going even in the face of challenges. This optimistic spirit of Nigerians is what makes him/her one of the happiest individuals and that is the spirit that Coca-Cola wants to celebrate with Nigerians.
Explaining the mechanics of the promotion, Modupe Thani, Senior Brand Manager-Colas said the campaign will be an 'Under-the-Crown' promotion with 35cl and 50cl returnable glass bottles. All a consumer has to do is to buy a bottle of Coke, Fanta or Sprite, look under the crown and see either a unique code or 'Try Again' message. He/She is expected to SMS the unique code under the crown to a short code (33665) and automatically qualify for a raffle draw. Consumers stand a chance of winning daily cash prizes of between N5, 000, N10, 000 and N25, 000.