Global design needs to “follow a generic creative blueprint that appeals to a wide variety of people”. (Biancardi, D. 2020)
A brand’s necessity is to make everyone feel inclusive in their own identity data by enabling a visual language that everyone can relate to and understand. This can be ensured by creating something that has a clean and simple graphic base. Then, the brand can allow each country to freely interfere on the design of the item and include the different cultural and nationality aspects they desire.
Coca-Cola is one of the world’s biggest beverage company chain. Coca-Cola has over 900 bottling factories in the world globally. So how do they make it visually appealing and appropriate to hundred different nationalities?
Figure 1, A Map Showing how Globally Projected Coca-Cola is
The fundamental secret to every globally successful brand is to achieve a “uniformity – individualism and diversity” (Love, J. 2019)
Coca-Cola manages to mix diversity and creativity. This is the reason why it is an excellent example of how each company needs to adapt to the needs of their wide audience.
Coca-Cola "Open" by Wieden & Kennedy London:
“The work builds on Coca-Cola’s 134 year-old brand purpose of uplifting and uniting people for a more joyful world and the insight that we all have the capacity to understand how others feel.” (Wieden & Kennedy, 2020)
Figure 2, Coca-Cola “Open” advertising can design https://cached.imagescaler.hbpl.co.uk/resize/scaleHeight/815/cached.offlinehbpl.hbpl.co.uk/news/WAC/Coke-20200224035759609.jpeg
In the campaign video called ‘Open’, people are running and arguing everywhere, showing a hectic urban environment. Everyone around the world could relate to that advertisement video, since “it’s a familiar scene: the noise and negativity are overwhelming; everywhere we look people are shouting about who is right and who is wrong.” (Wieden & Kennedy, 2020)
As the disagreements and fights escalate, buildings start to crack and the world around them starts collapsing. People without even realizing what is surrounding them, they keep on creating even more chaos with their fights.
The video ends with a different perspective where everyone should step back and ask themselves; “Could I be the one who’s wrong? Maybe things would change for the better.” (Natasha Lyonne quotes from the video)
The campaign video ends with the one superhero giving back the hand to the other one, depicting that this speech touched them and made them want to stop fighting.
Figure 4, Superhero giving hand back
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The quote “Everything’s better when we’re open”, implies that when people are open to see someone else’s point of view less fights will occur, therefore staying together will empower people.
Coca-Cola’s campaign video went viral globally. This is due to the fact that everyone was included in the video, no matter the race or culture or religion. The video shows that everyone can start a fight but they also have the power to end it.
The different hands of shaking, holding, and knuckle fisting each other demonstrate a move of power and being in peace with someone.
Moreover, the hands are all the same color of red with a white outline to fit Coca-Cola’s aesthetic, without adding any skin color to allow everyone to feel included. Red is a color full of diversity since it can symbolize both emotions of anger and aggression but also love and passion.
Coca-Cola Packaging in Each Country:
“Given the internationality and global products out there, what's interesting for a globally active designer is to find the fine national nuances and take them into account”. (Alexander Neumeister)
Coca-Cola was showing its respect for other cultures and requirements long before. They allowed each country to customize the packaging to their likings, by asking them to include cultural aspects on it, in order to spread awareness of each culture. One of many examples is Cyprus’ packaging.
Figure 5, Coca-Cola in Cyprus
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For Cyprus, the cross-shaped sculpture, named Idol of Pomos, represents a woman with her arms spread symbolizing fertility. Many similar sculptures have been found in Cyprus and they are considered as one of the main sculptures of the culture. This is why even until today the figure is now on euro coins and Coca-Cola bottles.
Figure 6, ‘Idol of Pomos’ Sculpture in Cyprus’ Museum
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“Thinking globally means recognizing and celebrating human diversity. It means embracing difference, be it physical, intellectual, cultural, aspirational, or of lifestyle. And in an increasingly global marketplace.” (Design for inclusivity, 2008)
The simplification of the main design allows it to be more globally universal. In addition, it enables each country to feel free to embody their culture on the packaging, overcoming the issue of language barriers, races, and religions. A global design with a blank canvas for others to fill is also an expression of how stories can be told through design and the story each design wants to describe to the user.
This design takes a very sensitive approach, by allowing people of all languages to get to know each country just by drinking their beverage.
Bibliography:
Biancardi, D. (2020). Global Design Vs. Local Design. nalla. [online]
Love, J. (2019). McDonald's: Behind the Arches. New York: Bantam, pp.433-434.
Wieden & Kennedy (2020). Coca-Cola: Open. Wieden & Kennedy. [online]
Steiner, Henry, Haas, Ken. (1995) Cross-Cultural Design: communicating in the global marketplace. London, Thames & Hudson
Campaign Video of Coca-Cola “Open” Link:
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