LIFTOFF FOR COCA-COLA CREATIONS BRAND AS IT LAUNCHES NEW ‘SPACE FLAVOURED’ STARLIGHT EDITION

Coca-Cola Creations aims to bring the magic of outer space down to earth with the launch of a new limited edition ‘intergalactic flavour.’

The world-famous soft drink was one of the first consumed in outer space when astronauts on the Space Shuttle Challenger sipped from the Coca-Cola Space Can.

Now more than 36 years later, the brand has launched Coca-Cola Starlight which drops this month in the United States as the first limited-edition offering under its Creations brand.

Senior director for global brand strategy Oana Vlad said: “Experimenting with such an iconic brand requires a big leap of faith. It all started by asking ourselves how we could bring the magic and mystery of the cosmos to life, sip by sip, in a quintessentially Coke way. We set out to make the intangible, tangible.”

The brand aims to quench Gen Z’s thirst for discovery through a series of unique flavours and packaging designs, culturally relevant expressions and creative collaborations. 

Inspired by the infinite possibilities of space, Coca‑Cola Starlight fuses the signature Coca‑Cola taste with unexpected touches including a reddish hue and cooling taste sensation.

Scanning QR codes on cans and bottles of Starlight will also unlock an augmented reality experience where pop artist Ava Max performs one of three songs against a space station backdrop: “Sweet But Psycho”, “Kings & Queens” or “Every Time I Cry.”

The product hit retailers across North America on February 21 and will arrive at retail outlets in select countries globally, in zero-sugar format only, over the coming months.

Further limited-edition Coca-Cola Creations will be launched later this year.

Bosses said Coke will continue to develop products through Creations to position the brand closer to cultural drivers such as gaming, sports and music.

Development of Coca-Cola Creations

Coca-Cola’s Creations brand was developed under the “Real Magic” brand platform which was unveiled in late 2021.

Vlad said: “For over a century, Coca-Cola has maintained its iconic status around the world as a symbol of optimism that has refreshed generations. When we launched ‘Real Magic,’ we wanted to connect with and celebrate the experiences that bring joy to young people today, and that has taken us to an exciting new territory.

“Coca-Cola Creations aims to surprise, delight and engage global audiences through magical and unexpected tastes, moments and collaborations – something we know our fans have come to expect from us.”

Coca-Cola Starlight is the first product to launch under the initiative, with a flavour designed to be reminiscent of stargazing around a campfire or a cold journey into space.

“Thirty-five years ago, Coca-Cola partnered with NASA to become one of the first soft-drinks to travel to space,” Vlad said.

“That same passion for space still exists today. With Coca-Cola Starlight, we wanted to celebrate the remarkable ability of space exploration to inspire generations to discover new worlds of infinite possibilities. We set out to bring that concept to life through a simple sip, capturing some of the mystery and essence of what we love about space.”

Coca-Cola Starlight’s packaging design features a multi-dimensional, light-filled star field and will be supported by a digital-first marketing campaign.

The campaign, led by an out-of-this-world augmented reality experience, includes a partnership with pop star Ava Max.

A “Concert on a Coca-Cola” experience can be accessed by scanning a Coca-Cola Starlight can or bottle.

Max will perform her universal hits surrounded by red liquid and gradient lighting as part of an AR-holographic private concert using the can as an anti-gravity, translucent space station.

Speaking about the collaboration Ava Max said: “Coca-Cola Starlight takes people on a journey in the same way that music has the ability to transport listeners to new worlds with each song.

“It’s been exciting to collaborate with Coca-Cola on this project. We wanted to create an otherworldly experience through technology.”

The experience design and production was created by Virtue and Tool. Coca-Cola partnered with Forpeople on the packaging design.

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