Build story · Australia · 2011–2014
Share a Coke: putting names on bottles
Coca-Cola replaced its logo with popular first names on bottles in Australia in 2011. People hunted for their names and shared photos, and the idea spread to more than 80 countries.
By Shivam Bhandari · Reviewed 31 October 2026 · How we write
by the numbers
- Names in first campaign
- about 150
- Launch
- 2011, Australia
- Countries reached
- more than 80
What happened
Coca-Cola wanted to reconnect with young adults in Australia. In 2011 agency Ogilvy replaced the Coca-Cola logo on bottles with about 150 of the country's most popular first names, under the line ‘Share a Coke with…’.
People searched shops for their own and friends' names, bought bottles as gifts, and posted photos on social media. Kiosks let people print custom names. The campaign generated huge earned media at low cost.
After strong results in Australia, Coca-Cola rolled the idea out to more than 80 countries. In the US, where soft-drink sales had been declining, the 2014 campaign helped lift Coke sales for the first time in years.
Timeline
- 2011
Launch in Australia.
- 2013
Expansion to Europe.
- 2014
US launch.
what made it work
- Personalisation made a mass product feel personal.
- Built-in reason to share and gift.
- Encouraged user-generated content.
the lesson
Personalising a mass product gives people a reason to search for it, buy it for others, and share it.
Apply it to your business
- 1Can you personalise your packaging or product?
- 2Design a reason for customers to share.
- 3Turn purchases into gifts.
Laws at work in this story
Figures are rounded and drawn from public reports, company filings and widely cited coverage at the time. Check the company's latest filings before relying on any number.