In-store beverage marketing works best when shoppers can spot an offer, understand it and take part without slowing down their purchase. Coca-Cola’s 2023 summer promotion in Vietnam offers a useful example. The campaign connected participating drinks with bottle-cap codes, promotional neckers, QR codes and prizes. For beverage brands, the lesson lies in how those elements guide a shopper from the shelf to the campaign entry point.
This article examines a promotion that ran in 2023. Its entry period has ended.
How Did Coca-Cola’s 2023 Promotion Work?
The promotion ran in Vietnam from May 1 to July 10, 2023. According to the campaign materials documented in ODM’s original article, shoppers bought a participating Coca-Cola beverage, found a unique code beneath the bottle cap and registered to enter. A promotional bottle necker carried campaign information and a QR code that directed shoppers to the entry site.
The rewards included a K-pop experience, consumer electronics and food vouchers. Together, these prizes gave shoppers several reasons to notice the offer. The physical packaging then helped connect that offer to the drink they could purchase in-store.
For a brand planning a similar campaign, the shopper journey needs to be clear:
- Notice the offer on the pack or nearby display.
- Understand which products qualify and what action is required.
- Buy the drink and find the code or proof of purchase.
- Scan or visit the entry page and complete the steps.
Every extra step creates a point where a shopper may lose interest. Campaign creative should make the next action easy to find at each stage.
Five Lessons for Beverage Brands
1. Make the offer visible on the product
A bottle necker gives a campaign space at the point of purchase without changing the main bottle label. It can show the reward, qualifying products and a short instruction while a QR code links to fuller details online.
The creative still has to work at shelf distance. Lead with one clear message, keep essential copy readable and check that the necker does not hide required product information. Before rollout, test it on the actual bottle, in a stocked shelf and under typical store lighting.
2. Match the reward to the audience and occasion
Coca-Cola’s prize mix connected its summer promotion with entertainment, technology and food occasions. Brands can take a similar approach by asking what their customers would value enough to act on.
That could mean tickets or experiences for a younger audience, practical merchandise for frequent buyers, or a gift with purchase for a family pack. The choice should follow the campaign goal, budget, audience and retailer setting. A striking prize alone cannot compensate for an unclear offer.
3. Keep the digital entry simple
A QR code can move a shopper from packaging to a campaign page, but only if it scans reliably and leads to a page that works on a phone. Test codes on printed samples, curved bottles and under reflective store lights. The destination should state eligibility, the closing date, the entry steps and the applicable terms.
If the campaign asks for a phone number or other personal details, the brand also needs suitable consent language and a process for handling that information. These details should be resolved before artwork and packaging go to production.
4. Plan the shelf execution alongside the pack
Packaging carries the offer on individual products. Shelf talkers, counter units or a branded display can reinforce it elsewhere in the store. They should use the same visual language and instructions so customers do not encounter conflicting messages.
Choose POS materials according to the store format and available space. Confirm retailer approval, placement, replenishment and installation timing early. A display that looks strong in a rendering still needs to fit the shelf, hold the intended stock and remain easy to shop.
5. Build the campaign backward from the launch date
A beverage promotion can involve neckers, printed packs, codes, landing pages, retailer materials and, in some cases, physical prizes. These elements need to arrive and work together. Plan time for artwork approval, samples, code testing, production, quality checks and delivery to participating stores.
For custom promotional gifts, decide the target cost, quantity, packaging and delivery schedule during concept development. That helps the team choose ideas that are practical to produce as well as appealing to customers.
Which Promotional Formats Fit a Beverage Campaign?
The right format depends on what you want shoppers to do.
| Campaign goal | Possible format | Key planning question |
|---|---|---|
| Explain a prize entry | Bottle necker or on-pack tag | Can shoppers understand the offer in seconds? |
| Draw attention in the aisle | Shelf talker or branded display | Will the retailer approve the size and location? |
| Encourage a multi-pack purchase | Gift with purchase or purchase with purchase | Is the gift useful and feasible at the planned quantity? |
| Extend brand use beyond the drink | Reusable cup, cooler or other relevant merchandise | Does the item fit the audience and campaign budget? |
These are options, not a checklist. Start with the shopper action and retail environment, then design the packaging and merchandise around them.
Coca-Cola’s Previous Beverage Marketing Campaigns:
Customers can get this exclusive customised ceramic mug in as easy as 1-2-3. Here’s how it works: for every purchase of three Coca-Cola cans, they can redeem a free cup from participating stores across Vietnam.
Coca-Cola launched a seasonal promotion in time for the Chinese New Year. Spotted in one of Hong Kong’s supermarkets, its shelf talker really did its job and conveyed another probable customer incentive idea to us.
To tap into consumers’ excitement, Coca-Cola has launched one of its best on-pack promotions across take-home and on-the-go packs. Customers can win a ticket to the renowned championship finals by purchasing any qualifying Coca-cola products!
Jollibee has partnered up with Coca-Cola to produce brilliant limited-edition merchandise— a branded reusable cup! This limited-time promotion is available only for dine-in transactions in participating Jollibee stores.
From beach chairs to fridges to GoPros, customers of Coca-Cola will get these promotional offers whenever they purchase Coca-Cola products!
For the 2018 FIFA World Cup, Coca-Cola has partnered with FIFA through a branded promotional bag which promotes various soft drinks and sporting event.
Leverage your marketing with these beverage promo products:
Promote your brand in large crowds, attract new customers and keep your products fresh with these promotional can coolers! These sports-themed coolers can be custom printed with your logo, and the quality ensures that your brand will last long.
These promotional wireless earbuds are ideal as beverage GWPs. By making it a “limited-time offer only,” they will definitely boost the sales of your product.
Promotional t-shirts are one of the most popular custom-branded merchandise in the world. If you go to any marketing event, chances are you’ll see people wearing a branded t-shirt with a company’s logo.
This custom portable speaker has a built-in microphone, remote control and voice control feature. Can-shaped, this makes a perfect giveaway idea for beverage companies.
Unlike other jigsaw puzzles we have featured, this one comes in a tin can as its packaging. The packaging design is very customisable, as well as the graphics in the puzzle itself.
Putting It All Together
Coca-Cola’s summer promotion in Vietnam is a testament to the brand’s innovative and customer-centric marketing strategy. By combining the allure of popular culture, cutting-edge technology, and tantalizing food experiences, Coca-Cola creates a promotion that truly resonates with its target audience.
From K-pop music fest experiences to Samsung devices and vouchers for selected food chains, the brand offers a diverse range of rewards that cater to the desires and aspirations of its customers.
Harnessing Our Creativity
What to run a beverage marketing inspired by Coca-cola? If yes, we can help you design and create your desired promotional product ideas. We produce custom-printed ice buckets, custom drink coasters, bottle neckers, bottle glorifier displays, and beverage display stands.
Feel free to contact our team to get a detailed quote. ODM and our designers from Mindsparkz are here to help you bring your ideas to the market!
ODM Services
Frequently Asked Questions
Which in-store promotion works best for a beverage brand?
Start with the action you want shoppers to take. A necker or shelf talker can explain a prize entry on a single bottle. A gift with purchase may suit a multipack or a higher basket value. A branded display can draw attention to a new launch. Select the format after checking the audience, store space, campaign budget and retailer requirements.
Should the offer go on the bottle or on a retail display?
Use on-pack material when shoppers need to see the offer wherever the product is stocked. Use a display when you need stronger visibility from the aisle or room to present several products together. The two can work together, provided they use the same offer, dates and entry instructions. Confirm display space with the retailer before designing it.
How much information should a promotional bottle necker carry?
Keep the front focused on the reward and one clear action, such as “Scan to enter.” Put eligibility, dates and key conditions where shoppers can find them, with a link to full terms if space is limited. Test the necker on the actual bottle: it must fit securely, leave required label information visible and remain readable on a crowded shelf.
How can we reduce drop-off in a QR-code prize campaign?
Scan the printed code from a bottle in realistic store lighting. Make sure it opens the correct mobile page quickly and explains the steps before asking for details. Ask only for information needed to run the promotion, show the closing date and terms clearly, and test the entire process with someone who has not seen the campaign brief.
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