IS COKE HIP?
Thirst for the Coca-Cola Company’s brown carbonated syrup is undisputed, but it will soon launch a collection of clothing later this year. Soft drinks analysts, industry experts and followers of fashion were lukewarm about the move into clothing. Coca-Cola Company US spokesman says:”Our main focus has been and will always be soft drinks.”
Yet designers have been recruited to help shape the new casual clothing line that will be called Coca-Cola Ware.
The range will include jeans, knitwear and woven clothing, as well as accessories such as hats and bags. Contrary to tabloid newspaper reports, there is no plan to include underwear or swimwear. Initially targeted at teenagers and young consumers, McDermott says a whole line of clothing will eventually be made available to all ages.
The Coca-Cola Company has already 250 licensees around the world providing 10.000 items which are sold through department stores and independent outlets in 40 countries, the UK being one of them. Promotional clothing, duvets, glasses and trays are all manufactured through this scheme which began in the Eighties.
In the US, the Coca-Cola Company also sells promotional clothing, sometimes dual-branded with a Coca-Cola sponsored event from its five standalone stores.
Talking about the proportion of the company’s total turnover which comes from licensed products, Louise Terry, communication director for Coca-Cola Great-Britain, says : “It’s like a drop in the ocean”. The main reason for extending the brand through licensing is that it is an extra way of communicating brand values.”
Adapted from Marketing Week
January 1999
Lexique
Lukewarm : peu enthousiaste
Tabloid Newspaper : journal “populaire”
Licensee : concessionnaire
Duvet : couette