Welcome to Soda Industry News!

As a public relations writing student at the University of Florida, I am working on a communication plan for a new product I am suggesting to Coca-Cola. In an effort to make this plan as authentic as possible, I am conducting research about updates and events in the soda industry. This blog will serve to introduce and discuss soda-industry news topics over a 10-week period, and I hope it will complement the creation of the communication plan very well. Please read and respond to the posts I write on this blog; comments and/or suggestions are greatly appreciated.

First Blog

On Jan. 24, Coca-Cola announced it will run Super Bowl ads for the first time since 1998. Both previously aired on Fox's ever-popular American Idol show, "Video Game" and "Happiness Factory" will hit the small screen during Super Bowl XLI on CBS, according to the press release.

The ads, which include amazingly detailed animation, position Coke as a source of happiness. "Video Game" offers a positive twist on the typical violent video game, suggesting that Coke makes people happy and offers a source of goodness in communities. "Happiness Factory" creates an imaginary view of what goes on inside a Coke machine when someone buys a drink. The Coke bottle and the joy it brings along the way to the dispenser are celebrated in a world inside the machine.

Both ads are very intriguing because they offer a totally different perspective of Coke and how it can relate to happiness in one's life. The detail in the animation is astounding, and even if viewers don't particularly care for Coke products, I can definitely see them watching these ads anyway. For example, a Coke survey suggested that 11 percent of Belgian teens were aware of "Happiness Factory," even though the ad has not even been introduced in Belgium.

Overall, the ads positively contribute to the overall Coca-Cola brand, which has been labeled no. 1 in the world for five years running. The ad producers did a very good job creating a unique perspective on a century-old product when they easily could have slipped into the trap of a boring, forgettable ad.