Say no to forwarded festive greetings with Coca-Cola’s Diw(AI)li campaign

In the vibrant tapestry of Diwali, the festival of lights emerges not only as a cultural celebration but also as an ad-fest where brands jostle for attention amid a sea of generic greetings and gifts. Navigating through this festive racket demands a level of strategic ingenuity that proves elusive for many brands in the contemporary, fast-paced marketing landscape.

This year, one Diwali campaign stands out to us as a noteworthy departure from the well-trodden paths of conventional norms within the category.

In a strategic and thoughtful move blending artificial intelligence with art and festivity, Coca-Cola has introduced a unique Diwali campaign using OpenAI's DALL·E 3 and GPT-4 models. The campaign's essence? It aspires to lay the foundation for a novel approach to Diwali greetings.

A fresh approach to festive greetings

In a landscape cluttered with forwarded festive greetings, the deluge of generic messages has reduced the once-special act of conveying festive wishes to a mundane ritual endured by everyone, akin to receiving the ubiquitous box of soan papdi. 

The ingenuity of Coca-Cola’s approach lies in presenting a novel concept that consumers may not realise they need, which delights them once unveiled. Coca-Cola's campaign aims to empower individuals to break free from the routine and craft their own, unique Diwali greetings through the company’s AI-powered Create Real Magic platform. 

Breaking away from the conventional norms observed in Diwali campaigns, Coca-Cola's Create Real Magic initiative marks one of the first instances in the world of a company incorporating the unique capabilities of the DALL·E 3 AI model into its marketing strategy, and quite likely the first to embark on such a large-scale marketing endeavour. 

During his opening keynote speech at the OpenAI Dev Day 2023 on November 6, the first-ever developer conference by OpenAI, Sam Altman, co-founder and CEO of OpenAI, announced the launch of DALL·E 3, along with GPT-4 featuring Turbo and Vision, and the introduction of a new Text-to-Speech (TTS) model. 

Altman stated, "We have a handful of customers who've just started using DALL·E 3 to programmatically generate images and designs. Today, Coke is launching a campaign that lets its customers generate Diwali cards using DALL·E 3."

So, how does one Create Real Magic?

The main concept revolves around a user-friendly three-step process, enabling individuals to craft personalised greetings seamlessly using their creativity and the latest AI technology. The campaign strategically adapts the tool to the Diwali context, aiming to resonate with the cultural significance of the festival of lights.

Coca-Cola's marketing genius shines through as it aims to bring AI to end consumers in a super-simplified manner. Users can effortlessly share these greetings with their loved ones across all platforms, and the created art and messages through this process will also be showcased on digital billboards across key locations in India.

The three-step process ensures that the barrier to entry for artistic expression is lowered, inviting a larger set of users to try it. With this creative insight, Coca-Cola envisions a Diwali where people share not just any greetings but magical ones.

And how is this campaign being realised?

Deployed through various channels, including social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook, the campaign leverages influencer activation to seed the thought of a unique Diwali celebration. Notably, prominent influencers like Kusha Kapila, Dharna, and Vishnu Kaushal are part of this initiative, contributing to the amplification of the campaign's creative insight. 

On Instagram, renowned artist handles including Neha Doodles and Colours of India DAO also curated their personalised Diwali greetings using the Create Real Magic platform, ensuring a continuous replenishment of DOOH (digital out-of-home) hoardings with newer art in real-time.

The DOOH hoardings, located in Haji Ali and Vile Parle in Mumbai, and Cyber Hub in Gurgaon, serve as a canvas for this novel approach to Diwali greetings. 

So, what sets this apart from the milieu of Diwali marketing endeavours?

In a market where the struggle to stand out is palpable, Coca-Cola seems to have recognised the need for brands to to stand out and provide a fresh alternative to the typical marketing approaches dominating the festive season.

Beyond the realm of Diwali greetings, Coca-Cola's campaign has a broader impact on the market by increasing the penetration of AI. The Create Real Magic campaign empowers individuals to engage with AI in a playful and enjoyable way, fostering a deeper understanding of its applications beyond the tech realm.  By making AI accessible through a creative platform, Coca-Cola is demystifying the technology and showcasing its potential in everyday life

The campaign's success lies not just in its Diwali-specific impact but in contributing to a broader cultural shift towards embracing and integrating AI into marketing experiences. What sets Coca-Cola apart in this crowded festival-centric space is its forward-thinking approach, aligning with a future-ready vision.