In 2012, the global team launched
How would you describe Coca-Cola Journey?
It's our corporate website-turned-dynamic digital magazine and owned media channel. Inspired by leading online publishers and powered by social media, this pioneering storytelling platform brings the compelling stories behind our company and brands – who we are, what we do and why we do it – to the forefront through a digital publishing experience designed to inspire, educate and provoke action.
"Coca-Cola Journey is our corporate website-turned-dynamic digital magazine and owned media channel."
We made this big bet in digital content in 2012 because we believed – and still believe – that authentic stories matter, that exceptional writing and visuals win the day, and that building a global digital newsroom and real-time PR tool could transform how we engage with all our readers.
What channels do you use?
Journey content is debuted and hosted on our website, but it is also amplified via a myriad of channels including: a companion blog,
How has Journey evolved since it first launched?
Over the last four years, the Journey family has grown to 30 sites, spanning more than 40 countries around the globe and 20 different languages, which includes Great Britain and Ireland. These country and regional sites share a similar look-and-feel with our flagship site, but are published in the local language and produced by local
What is the main objective for Journey?
We use Journey to make and break
Which pieces of content are you most proud of?
We are purposefully investing more in business, brand, leadership and innovation stories. Along those lines, some 2016 “hits” that come to mind are our coverage (and syndication) of the “Taste the Feeling” one-brand marketing strategy launch in January, our fun take on the Hi-C Ecto Cooler comeback (May), our coverage of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games (summer), and our continued focus finding fresh, engaging ways to amplify our quarterly earnings announcements via social infographics, Journey-exclusive executive interviews and more. We are also proud of our efforts to step up video, audio and other multimedia content this year.
"We don’t have a content creation problem, we have a content discovery problem."
Are there any mistakes you've learnt from?
It's not a “mistake”, per se, but we learned a few years in that we don’t have a content creation problem, we have a content discovery problem. We produce 10-12 pieces of original content each week, and realised after our first year or so of publishing that we were perhaps too focused on the “product” and not enough on amplification or syndication. Our team has since refined our focus on (and boosted our investment in) ensuring our content is read, “liked” and shared by as many readers as possible via social and paid media, internal channels, newsletters, third-party publishers and other avenues.
How do you source stories for Journey?
Here in Atlanta, Georgia, where The
Do you think more people will start looking to brands for content and news?
We think so, yes. As mentioned, we were a first-mover in the brand journalism space. But we’re no longer alone. The rise in fellow brand publishers has motivated us to step up our game. The branded content space is much more crowded than it was when we launched Journey, which means we are among many brands that are challenged with transcending the noise not only through engaging content but also through strategic presence on social media.
How
What's the future for Coca-Cola Journey?
We’re continuing to explore new ways to tell great
"With the growth of social networks the world is connecting to each other via stories, and people expect the same from their favourite brands."
With the continuing growth of social media, the world is connecting to each other via stories, and people expect the same from their favourite brands. You’ll see us continuing to find new ways to render content – from video and GIFs, to podcasts and infographics, to photo narratives and first-person blogs. And we’ll aggressively pursue new tools and channels to amplify this content. This is still very much a work in progress. We’re constantly learning from our hits and our misses, and exploring new ways to use the platform to engage readers in ways that builds both brand love and corporate trust.
Related links
-
London Fashion Week 2019: Exploring
Coca-Cola ’s role as a style icon -
Holidays Are Coming… with Rak-Su x
Coca-Cola - “Adding that X-factor”: Jesse Lingard and Jermaine Jenas at the ‘Where Everyone Plays’ launch event
-
The
Coca-Cola Foundation Announces $1 Billion Giving Milestone -
2018
Coca-Cola Christmas Truck Tour Q&A
COCA-COLA ON SOCIAL