The Coca-Cola Company wins Campaign of the Year - Malaysia, Customer Experience Initiative of the Year - Singapore

Coca-Cola Far East Ltd and Pacific Refreshments Pte Ltd were recognised for their Chinese New Year campaign launch and Coca-Cola Food Fest at GastroBeats 2024, respectively.

Coca-Cola Far East Ltd and Pacific Refreshments Pte Ltd by The Coca-Cola Company have been recognised at the FMCG Asia Awards 2024, receiving the Campaign of the Year - Malaysia and Customer Experience Initiative of the Year - Singapore accolades, respectively.

The “Chinese New Year Magic Happens When We Bond” campaign by Coca-Cola Far East Ltd was named the Campaign of the Year - Malaysia at the awards programme for establishing Coca-Cola as a local icon and enhancing the brand’s local relevance.

Coca-Cola Far East Ltd brought the magic of the Chinese New Year to the streets of Malaysia through high-impact 3D out-of-home advertising, an interactive dragon augmented reality (AR) filter, and Magic Makers engagement. With the objective of making Coca-Cola synonymous with family bonding and a centrepiece of reunions amidst the festive Chinese New Year season, the brand featured the bold and dynamic Coca-Cola dragon at the centre of the campaign, from its packaging to ABTL communication.

“Our campaign strategy was designed to capture the essence of celebrations and highlight Coca-Cola’s unique role in creating these magical moments,” the company said.

For its out-of-home advertising, Coca-Cola utilised static and digital billboards nationwide, along with a 3D digital Coca-Cola dragon at Pavilion KL and KLCC Cubig Junction, making it viral on the Xiao Hong Shu platform.

As people sent well wishes to loved ones, Coca-Cola also released a WhatsApp sticker pack and an interactive AR filter on Instagram and Facebook to boost user engagement. Users could select from eight wishes that light up the AR dragon, creating an interactive, shared experience.

Lastly, to connect with Gen Zs, Coca-Cola collaborated with Local Magic Makers composed of 39 influencers and 3 content creators, including MGAG, Xiao Hong Shu, Joey Leong, Coco Yang, Ling Big Yong, etc., to create Chinese New Year stories about families forging stronger ties with Coca-Cola. Over 117 pieces of content were published through this strategy, delivering high engagement rates.

Through this approach, Coca-Cola experienced an impressive +7% growth in net sales revenue, driven by an uplift in hypermarkets and supermarkets. The campaign’s out-of-home and modern marketing also reached 97% of its target audience (11.3 million).

“Our campaign didn’t just capture attention. It set Coca-Cola apart from the competition by providing a 360° experience that extended beyond visual stimulation. This ensured the magic of family bonding over Coca-Cola was not only visible but also felt deeply, fostering genuine connections,” Coca-Cola Far East Ltd added.

Meanwhile, Pacific Refreshments Pte Ltd was awarded Customer Experience Initiative of the Year - Singapore for its involvement in one of Singapore’s biggest food festivals in 2024, GastroBeats.

Coca-Cola served as a major sponsor at the event during GastroBeats’ third edition this year, showcasing the city’s most loved food, music, and lifestyle offerings.

At the centre of this celebration, which attracted more than 550,000 visitors, was the Coca-Cola Food Fest. This curated experiential journey took foodies on an adventure guided by the brand’s Coca-Cola Mission Card, bringing them meaningful activities with exclusive brand merchandise to be won whilst championing Coca-Cola’s sustainability efforts.

Coca-Cola hosted a special “Recycle Me!” activity via arcade-inspired games wherein participants would toss their 100% recycled Coca-Cola PET bottles into basketball hoops, play rock-paper-scissors with a “Coke twist,” and capture lasting memories with the Coca-Cola photobooth. On-site bins for plastic bottles and cans were also available at the event, leveraging the brand’s reach to encourage recycling.

“As exclusive beverage sponsor (non-alcoholic) of the month-long festival, we managed to incorporate exciting activations from our portfolio brands, e.g. Schweppes: iconic neon photo spots and personality quiz; Fuze Tea: relax and recharge in a chill booth with new Fuze Tea Peach Mint; and Sprite: beat the Singapore heat and stay cool with refreshing Sprite Zero. Additionally, festival-goers could enjoy a dollar off our beverages with any food items purchased—a great deal that couldn’t be missed!” Coca-Cola added.

Ensuring it creates the “Recipe for Magic,” Coca-Cola also hosted over 150 customers at a dedicated hospitality night to showcase its only-Coke-can-do experience and strengthen partnerships with customers. It also collaborated with 7-Eleven and FoodPanda on islandwide promotions to drive awareness and traffic to the experience at GastroBeats.

The results of this campaign were impressive, garnering a total of 140 pieces of organic coverage via print, online, and social media, amounting to over SG$1.6m in PR value. This was
highlighted by a live interview with Melanie Oliverio of CNA938 “Life&Style.” Coca-Cola also achieved +33% drinks combo and +27% total drinks transactions at GastroBeats this year vs. 2023, whilst more than 135,000 samples were given out to promote new beverages.

The FMCG Asia Awards, presented by Retail Asia, spotlights companies that have left a significant impact on the industry. It is a prestigious event that celebrates outstanding companies in the fast-moving consumer goods sector for their exceptional products and remarkable initiatives.

The FMCG Asia Awards is presented by Retail Asia Magazine. To view the full list of winners, click here. If you want to join the 2025 awards programme and be acclaimed for your company's exceptional products or initiatives in the FMCG industry, please contact Jane Patiag at [email protected].