Hey Marketing Besties,

I'm 548 days clean from Diet Coke but I'm still a Marketer of taste.

And for me, there's nothing like a Coca-Cola Holiday campaign.

Professor Millennial teaches every Tuesday (remotely), via electronic mail.

Class is now very much in session. 🥤

Was this email forwarded to you?

Subscribe Here

COCA-CHRISTMAS

How Coca-Cola Makes Holiday Magic

‘Tis the season for cookies, Christmas movies, and Coca-Cola commercials.

Us Marketers know a thing or 2, because we’ve seen a thing or 2, and when it comes to Coca-Cola Christmas commercials we’ve seen them all.

Coke does a MASSIVE push around the holiday season, wholeheartedly aligning their brand with the warm and kind aura of Santa Claus, while other brands focus on their Christmas discounts.

But before I spill all of the tea Coke, let’s crack open today’s lesson and dive back into the 1960s, sip back and relax.

The origins of Coca-Cola and Santa Claus’ relationship began in the 1920s.

Initially the campaign wasn’t anything more than a few print ads showing Santa Claus drinking Coca-Cola. Pretty cut and dry.

But after 40 years of a limited role with the brand, Santa Claus became a pivotal piece of Coke’s strategy to capitalize on the increased spending around the holidays and to alter the perception that Coke was only a drink for hot weather.

Artist, Haddon Sundblom, was tasked with ushering in a new image for Santa Claus and Coca-Cola, one that exuded warmth, kindness, and community.

Using Lou Prentiss, a retired salesman as a model, Sundblom crafted the perfect Santa for Coke to feature in their Christmas ads moving forward.

….or sparkling water?? (via Amazon)

One with rosy cheeks, a big belly, white beard, and wedding ring (in one of the initial Coke Christmas ads, Santa Claus didn’t have a ring on and consumers were WORRIED about what happened with Mrs. Claus).

This became the Santa Claus we know today.

Since then, big SC has been the key to Coke’s holiday success.

But what lessons can we learn from this long-standing tradition that we can apply to our day-to-day?

Been there and done that, Kris Kringle (via eBay)

When working with influencers or building a brand mascot, the values of each have to align with your current values OR align with the values you wish to adopt and be perceived as having in the market.

In this instance Coca-Cola is aspiring to be seen as a warm, friendly, and a community-focused brand, hence their continued association with Santa Claus and Christmas. And they’ve taken it a step further in their newest commercials.

Their modern Christmas ads focus on themes of family and togetherness instead of an emphasis on product.

When you see the ads you aren’t hit instantly with product images or pricing strategies, but instead with the warmth of the holiday.

I feel weird looking through a window at someone else’s family (via Marketing Dive)

There are subtle reminders of the brand and fantastic product placement (check out photo below to see the subtle brand reminders in these ads), but there is an added meaning to the commercial, associating Coca-Cola with the happy feelings that come with Christmas and Santa.

Santa is a figure with immense tradition and rich history. This is something that Coca-Cola also wants to embody by associating their brand with Santa Claus.

Humans are creatures of habit and tradition-oriented, Coca-Cola’s focus on Christmas is their attempt to cement their product into your holiday traditions and step outside of the seasonality of the soft-drink industry.

You didn’t think the elves built all those gifts, right? (via YouTube)

Coca-Cola puts a spin on the magical delivery process that Santa is known for, with their own Christmas-lit Coca-Cola trucks.

These trucks are like portable billboards.

I know when I see one, the first thing I think about is Christmas.

And this subtle feature in all of their Christmas ads of late, is the true embodiment of the entire campaign.

Are the trucks delivering Coke to towns across America?

No.

They’re delivering joy, magic, and kindness.

In Coca-Cola’s holiday commercials, these trucks don’t just make deliveries—they’re bringing the spirit of Christmas to life, carrying all the happiness that the season brings. And that's the true beauty of Coca-Cola's approach: It's not about pushing products, but about delivering emotions, memories, and a sense of community.

This is the first-ever commercial featuring a truck, circa 1995. How big is the Marketer to truck driver pipeline? (via YouTube)

These holiday campaigns show us the power of aligning brand identity with the emotions and values that resonate most with consumers.

When done right, your brand can become a staple in people’s lives—not just during the holidays, but all year round.

Take a step back and audit your own Marketing efforts: Are you just delivering another product? Or are you tapping into the emotions that drive real connections with your audience?

Coca-Cola’s holiday commercials remind us that Marketing is about much more than a transaction—it’s about building lasting relationships and becoming part of your audience’s tradition.

And to me, that deserves a cheers.

MARKETING CHEAT SHEET (WHAT TO LEARN FROM THIS CAMPAIGN)

1️⃣. Align Brand Values with Mascots and Influencers: Whether it's Santa Claus or a modern influencer, your mascot or partnership should reflect your brand's values—or the values you want to be associated with. Coca-Cola’s long-term association with Santa is a prime example of aligning a beloved figure with the company’s mission of warmth, kindness, and community.

2️⃣. Create Emotional Connections, Not Just Transactions: Coca-Cola doesn’t just sell soda during the holidays—they sell an experience. Their ads focus on emotions like family, togetherness, and joy, rather than direct product promotions. Building emotional connections with your audience ensures that your brand is woven into their traditions and memories, not just a seasonal purchase.

3️⃣. Deliver More Than a Product—Deliver an Experience: Think beyond the transaction. Coca-Cola’s holiday commercials remind us that the best marketing isn’t just about selling a product—it’s about delivering an experience that resonates with your audience. By associating their brand with magic, tradition, and happiness, Coca-Cola becomes more than a drink; it becomes part of the holiday spirit itself.

IN A MEME