Coca-Cola is currently trying out a new marketing campaign in China, printing lines from popular songs on their bottles and cans where consumers can scan those lines to view a shareable video of the song on China’s popular WeChat application

Interactive advertisements through mobile technology are becoming more popular, especially if the ads give consumers a way to express themselves. Coca-Cola has termed their new campaign “Musicon” because, like with emoticons, consumers can share their moods through the music found on their coke cans.  Coca-Cola’s goal with this new campaign is to get their customers to connect with one another through social media by promoting the company’s brand and ultimately bring in more business, and taking China by storm. .

The rise of QR codes

QR codes are increasing in popularity within the mobile marketing world and this is how Coca-Cola is promoting their ‘Musicon’ campaign. 

The line of lyrics serves as a QR code that anyone can scan as long as they have a smartphone. Other companies also use QR codes on their product packaging to promote interactive advertisements as well. An Italian water company put a code on their bottled water that when scanned gives consumers a video of where the water comes from, promoting the quality of the water.  Food companies such as Kraft are also taking advantage of QR codes, putting them on their food products so consumers can scan them and instantly have access to different recipes using their products.  Companies are quickly discovering that QR codes are a simple and successful way to market.

Getting the word out

Sometimes getting the word out about a company is not as easy as it sounds, even if it is a big name such as Coca-Cola. We don’t live in a patient society, so once people get bored with a brand they move on to the next big thing, posing a challenge for companies to constantly be creative and innovative when it comes to marketing their products. Currently, it’s a popular marketing tactic for companies to share their stories through applications, social media, and other marketing forms. This tactic lets consumers relate to the company on a more personal level rather than on a business level.  

Companies should reach out to their consumers on a personal level when marketing so instead of feeling annoyed or bothered by advertisements, consumers feel their business is appreciated and continue to give their business to the company. Thanks to social media and other technologies, we are a sharing community, which can definitely be an advantage for companies when it comes to advertising. The more personal connection one feels with a company, the more likely that person will share their happy experiences with friends, family, and everyone else to bring in more business.