- At an event in New York City last night, Coca-Cola unveiled two new products, one a permanent addition to its beverage line-up and the other a limited-time offering to celebrate kindness.
- Coca-Cola spiced, which will be available in both regular and Zero Sugar varieties, is the brand’s first new permanent product offering in three years. Company materials describe the flavor as Coca-Cola with notes of raspberry and other spiced flavors.
- Additionally, the brand is offering Happy Tears Zero Sugar under its Coca-Cola Creations platform. The limited-time release will be available through TikTok’s new e-commerce platform and is suggested to taste like Coca-Cola coupled with a splash of salty minerals to evoke the taste of happy tears.
With the beverage category expanding in any number of ways, from small-batch companies offering unique flavorings inspired by outer space and the future, and the growing popularity of seltzer and flavored soda water, Coca-Cola’s new flavors are a bid to keep up.
“The mindset … is that we’re a 137-year-old startup,” said Shakir Moin Coca-Cola North America’s marketing chief, during a panel at the announcement event. “A fundamental transformation that we’ve taken on is focusing on bolder, faster and fewer initiatives.”
While Coca-Cola has created a number of limited availability options under its Coca-Cola brand, over the past few years, Coca-Cola Spinced is the company’s first permanent new offering in over three years. Its inclusion as a permanent line is supported by market data suggesting a significant increase in consumer willingness to have raspberry and spice flavors in their beverages over the past four years. (Including more than 5 million raspberry servings poured from the company’s Coca-Cola Freestyle machines in 2022 alone.)
Coca-Cola Spiced will hit shelves on February 19 and will be supported by a marketing campaign that will include an activation in New York that will use immersive AI to depict the expressions of people trying the soda for the first time. Packaging design will include Coca-Cola’s well-known trademark script and classic red color, along with a raspberry-colored swirl.
Meanwhile, the limited-run “Happy Tears Zero Sugar” line is part of Coca-Cola’s Creations program. The flavor, which launches on Random Acts of Kindness Day (Feb. 17), is meant to evoke the feelings inspired by the tears of joy that come from acts of kindness. The product will be packaged in a hype kit that will be available exclusively on TikTok. The kit will include “Happy Tears” stickers, kindness-themed apparel and customized tissues. Consumers will be encouraged to purchase a kits through TikTok and gift it to a friend, so they can “share a joyful moment together,” according to the company.
“Similar to previous Coca-Cola Creations, we have developed a unique, unexpected flavor – inspired by what happy tears might taste like – in addition to creating an innovative digital experience inspired by kindness,” said Oana Vlad, senior director of global strategy at The Coca-Cola Company, in a release. “We can’t wait to see the small acts of kindness our new drop inspires in the world.”“
