The #ThatsGold campaign by Coca-Cola, launched in the UK in July 2016, aims to reinforce the brand’s positioning as a source of simple, everyday moments of joy and value. The campaign leverages Coca-Cola’s longstanding association with positive, uplifting experiences by highlighting the idea that “gold” is found in the small, often overlooked moments of life. This proposition subtly shifts the focus from the product itself to the emotional reward and cultural sentiment behind sharing and enjoying a Coke, underscoring the beverage as a catalyst for connection and celebration.
From a market strategy perspective, the campaign draws on an insight that consumers increasingly seek authenticity and meaning in their interactions with brands. By using the hashtag #ThatsGold, Coca-Cola taps into a cultural vernacular that equates “gold” with something valuable, memorable, and worthy of recognition. The creative approach integrates this concept into a performance genre format, which likely emphasizes real-life stories or dynamic visuals to resonate on an emotional level. Targeting a broad UK audience familiar with digital and social media trends, the campaign encourages consumer engagement through social sharing and conversation, aiming to foster a community around the shared appreciation of everyday “golden” moments. Overall, it utilizes cultural relevance and emotional appeal to maintain brand affinity in the competitive non-alcoholic drinks market.
FORMAT#9 SYMBOLIZE THE BENEFIT — Uses symbols or exaggerated visuals to represent the product’s positive impact.
The campaign title "#ThatsGold" and the timing (July 2016), coinciding with Olympic season, strongly suggest that Coca-Cola is utilizing gold as a symbol of winning, happiness, or life’s bright moments. The "Performance" genre signals a thematic focus on high achievement, vitality, or celebratory actions rather than a narrative or problem-solution arc. There is no direct testimonial, storytelling resolution, problem framing, or explicit comparison. Instead, Coca-Cola appears to leverage a universal, exaggerated symbol—gold—to metaphorically embody the uplifting, special experiences the drink brings to consumers. This symbolic device replaces literal demonstration or storytelling, making "Symbolize the Benefit" the most fitting creative format.
ADVERTISING FORMATS EXPLAINED: https://www.clapboard.com/blog/branding-and-advertising/brand-strategy/12-advertising-creative-formats
1. PepsiCo – Market Positioning
PepsiCo positions itself as a youthful, energetic alternative to Coca-Cola, focusing on bold flavors and pop culture appeal. It targets a younger demographic through dynamic advertising, music partnerships, and lifestyle associations, emphasizing innovation and variety within the non-alcoholic beverages segment.
2. Dr Pepper Snapple Group (now part of Keurig Dr Pepper) – Market Positioning
Dr Pepper Snapple Group leverages its unique flavor portfolio, emphasizing distinctiveness and heritage. It differentiates through a quirky, offbeat brand personality, targeting consumers seeking flavorful alternatives beyond traditional cola, with a focus on bold taste and nostalgia.
3. Red Bull – Market Positioning
Red Bull dominates the energy drink space by positioning itself as a performance enhancer and lifestyle brand linked to extreme sports, adventure, and high energy. It promotes mental and physical energy, targeting active, young adults with a premium, functional beverage image.
4. Monster Beverage Corporation – Market Positioning
Monster positions itself as a bold, edgy energy drink brand catering to the youth market, particularly in sports, gaming, and music subcultures. It emphasizes intensity and rebellion, with flavors and branding that promote an active, high-adrenaline lifestyle.
5. Britvic – Market Positioning
Britvic focuses on health-conscious and premium soft drink options within the UK market, emphasizing natural ingredients and quality. Its strategic angle includes positioning as a trustworthy, British heritage brand that offers innovation in mixers, juices, and soft drinks for a broad consumer base.
Q: What is #ThatsGold 2 about?
A: #ThatsGold 2 is a professional campaign launched by Coca-Cola in the United Kingdom in 2016, created by the agency Fast Horse. Designed for the Drinks (Non Alcoholic) sector, this film-based campaign centers on the idea of celebrating everyday achievements and the golden highlights that enrich daily life. Through a single, visually compelling media asset, #ThatsGold 2 leverages evocative storytelling and striking imagery to reinforce Coca-Cola’s role as a symbol of refreshment and joy. The campaign was tailored for the UK market, using English language content and encouraging audience engagement through the #ThatsGold hashtag.
Q: What creative device does #ThatsGold 2 use?
A: #ThatsGold 2 employs the Symbolize the Benefit creative technique, as classified by Clapboard’s 12-format taxonomy (FORMAT#9). Rather than relying on direct testimonials or problem-solution narratives, the campaign uses gold as a universal symbol to represent moments of happiness, achievement, and celebration. This exaggerated visual metaphor is designed to embody the uplifting experiences Coca-Cola aims to deliver, positioning the product as an enabler of life’s golden moments. The approach is rooted in performance genre, focusing on dynamic visuals and emotional resonance over literal demonstration.
Q: What is the campaign proposition for #ThatsGold 2?
A: The campaign proposition for #ThatsGold 2 is to reinforce Coca-Cola’s positioning as a source of simple, everyday joy and value. By highlighting the idea that “gold” exists in small, often overlooked moments, the campaign shifts focus from the product itself to the emotional rewards and cultural significance of sharing a Coke. This strategy targets a broad UK audience attuned to authenticity and meaning in brand interactions, encouraging social sharing and community engagement around positive, memorable experiences. The campaign’s emotional appeal and cultural relevance are designed to sustain brand affinity in the competitive non-alcoholic drinks market.
Q: How does #ThatsGold 2 rank in Clapboard's archive?
A: #ThatsGold 2 holds a Clapboard Campaign Score of 54/100 in Clapboard’s global ad archive. This score reflects the campaign’s creative ambition, execution quality, and cultural relevance as evaluated by Clapboard’s curatorial standards.
Q: Who are the competitors in Coca-Cola's category?
A: In the non-alcoholic drinks category, Coca-Cola faces competition from PepsiCo, which positions itself as a youthful, energetic brand with a focus on pop culture and bold flavors. Dr Pepper Snapple Group, now part of Keurig Dr Pepper, differentiates through its unique flavor portfolio and quirky brand personality. Red Bull dominates the energy drink space with a performance-driven, adventurous image, while Monster Beverage Corporation appeals to youth subcultures with an edgy, high-adrenaline positioning. Britvic emphasizes health-conscious, premium soft drink options, leveraging British heritage and innovation to appeal to a broad UK consumer base.
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