When Coca-Cola meets Gen Z: How the “Share a Coke” campaign sparks a new Gen Z social icon

Get ready to share and connect! As Coca-Cola revives its iconic “Share a Coke” campaign globally, the brand has embarked on a quest to amplify connections with Gen Z as the campaign is launched in China. From “The Comedian” to “The Viber Starter” and “The Cat Lover,” a diverse range of personality-themed bottles are taking over shelves, offering a fun and engaging way to connect with friends and family.

Drawing on the brand’s deep roots in consumer-centricity, the iconic “Share a Coke” campaign exemplifies Coca-Cola’s longstanding commitment to fostering meaningful connections through innovative product designs and engaging experiences, encouraging Chinese consumers to spark connections through the simple act of sharing a Coke.

For Chinese Gen Z, social media serves as the primary platform for authentic connection-building, driven by their passion for self-expression and exploration of identity. Naturally drawn together around shared interests and social identities, they discover new opportunities to create authentic emotional bonds.

Tailor-made for this dynamic social landscape, the “Share a Coke” campaign introduces a new series of Coca-Cola packs designed to reflect Gen Z’s unique and diverse identities. The packaging features 20 unique personas, including “The Foodie”, “The Attention Seeker”, “The Introvert (I- Person)”, and “The Extrovert (E-Person)”. With this innovative and truly “social-first” approach, the campaign invites Gen Z consumers to build new connections through celebrating and sharing who they truly are.

Coca-Cola introduced the campaign with a series of vibrant videos and visuals illustrating how sharing a Coke can spark fun and surprising connections; highlighting the boundless possibilities that emerge when contrasting personalities interact—whether between kindred spirits or opposites, everyone can “Share a Coke” and connect through moments of joy.

On April 18, the new “Share a Coke” packs made their debut at the 42nd Weifang International Kite Festival, transforming into the ultimate “The Attention Seeker” as they soared through the spring skies alongside young festival-goers. Complementing this, a diverse array of creative out-of-home (OOH) advertising installations will be deployed to target key demographics at high-traffic locations like subway stations.

The campaign’s digital strategy centers on driving online engagement through weekly themed interactive challenges in collaboration with leading social media platforms and Gen Z influencers. On May 15th, brand ambassador Silence Wang shared an announcement video featuring the “Share A Coke” products and offering enthusiastic support to the campaign. Coca-Cola will also leverage Mixed Reality technology to create engaging social videos to amplify reach and sustain campaign momentum.

Over a decade ago, Coca-Cola sparked a social marketing revolution with the ‘Share A Coke’ nickname bottles. And today, the brand builds on this legacy for a new generation of consumers, offering them a fun way to share their personalities, fulfilling their desire for authentic connection to create unique, generation- defining memories alongside the brand.

The campaign was developed by Coca-Cola in collaboration with WPP Open X, led by Ogilvy Shanghai.