Behind Coca-Cola’s Biggest Social-Media Push Yet
How Expedition 206’s Global Search for Happiness Came Together
{original post at Advertising Age}
by Natalie Zmuda
Published: November 17, 2009
ATLANTA (AdAge.com) — Coca-Cola is gearing up for its largest social-media project ever, one that will test its own internal flexibility and force a number of its global markets into the digital and social-media space.
Expedition 206
Expedition 206 will send three 20-somethings to 206 countries and territories where Coca-Cola is sold in 2010. The trio sets off on their 275,000-mile tour from Madrid on Jan. 1, stocked with laptops, video cameras, smartphones and plenty of other gadgetry, in order to document for the masses their search for happiness.
Their journey will be tracked at www.Expedition206.com, as well as through Facebook, Flickr, YouTube and on Twitter @x206. Fans following the expedition will also be able to weigh in on what the trio should do and who they should see at each destination.
Triggering internal collaboration
The company will track media impressions, Facebook and Twitter followers, as well as page views, said Clyde Tuggle, senior VP-global public affairs and communications, to determine how the program is resonating externally. But, already, the program has had its internal successes, namely triggering new collaboration between the communications, public relations and marketing teams. The idea for the program was born in the communications and public relations department, though the marketing team quickly got involved.
