As part of its centennial global marketing campaign, Coca-Cola have unveiled its "I've Kissed.." outdoor adverts. The adverts feature iconic music and film stars who have all been "kissed by" the famous contour bottle, (the saucy minx!). These adverts have so far been very well received, and will run during the first two weeks of April. However, this positive reception is not in the least bit surprising given Coca Cola's marketing prowess. Their infamous "christmas is coming" advert still coerces me into guzzling down an icy bottle or two over the festive period, in spite of the freezing temperatures outside! And this new advert possesses the same suggestive powers of its predecessors. Therefore, looking specifically at this advert, I will briefly explain how the curvy little bottle has been able to kiss more people than the Kardashians sisters put together!

First let's look at the colour combinations which have become so synonymous with the brand, otherwise known as the company's 'trade dress'. Not only does it catch the eye, it also makes you immediately think about the brand itself.  This unique ability is a testament to the fact that over the years Coca-Cola has been able to imprint themselves in our minds and never needs to waste a penny on brand awareness. Distinctive packaging or colours create strong associations, and the red and white of Coca-Cola has now become a symbol of it being the best cola on the market.

Coca-Cola also knows the power of nostalgia in the world of marketing and has sought to exploit this in their new campaign. Now I know most of us weren't even alive when the likes of Elvis Presley and Ray Charles dominated the airwaves but that does not stop us feeling the bittersweet emotion of nostalgia when we gaze upon their likeness. Whether we are conscious of it or not, these ads create a longing for 'the good old days'. Even if we never lived in the same era as Marilyn Monroe, we feel we can get a taste of the past through the shared experience of drinking Coca-Cola from that same iconic bottle. This is exactly the message that Coca Cola wanted to communicate; "Anyone can be 'kissed by' Coca-Cola simply by taking a sip from the glass bottle, so in that respect we are connected across generations."

It is also important to note that the contoured glass bottle is an example of a retro brand. Paired up with these 'retro stars', the ad not only triggers feeling of nostalgia, it also emphasises Coca-Cola's heritage. Put simply, heritage marketing is the promotion of the “heritage” of your brand or company.  By utilising this form of marketing, Coca Cola are setting themselves apart from their competition by highlighting the fact that they have stood the test of time.  And why not flaunt this? It says a lot about the quality of your product. The fizzy drink company has been able to produce a product that has satisfied customers for over a century, how many of its immediate competitors can say that!

Moreover, Coca-cola's heritage factor is becoming more important in this so-called era of 'healthy living'. Given their high sugar content and very little nutritional value of their beverages, fizzy drinks companies are the whipping boys for healthy lifestyle crusaders. However, with a 100 years of happy customers, Cocoa Cola always have the "if it was good enough for them, its good enough for us" card up their sleeve. And if that won't fend off the critics, it will be hard to get rid of a brand that has played such an inspirational role in film, music and social history over the years (well as the campaign would have us believe anyway!).

So I guess all that's left to do is wish the sultry, curvaceous bottle many happy returns on her 100th birthday!