Like many international events this year, the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia, originally scheduled September 2020 was postponed for the time being. While international racing experiences an extended off-season, Porsche Carrera Cup Asia and Cocoa-Cola unveiled their jointly branded “Upliftment, doubled” campaign, which combines the fighting spirit of motorsport with the unmistakably refreshing feeling of Coca-Cola. This thrilling partnership not only brings fans a different kind of passion but also conveys positive energy and encourages the public to embrace the future with an optimistic attitude in the post-pandemic era.
Photos courtesy of Porsche
uplifting taste + uplifting drive = upliftment, doubled
Saatchi & Saatchi Shanghai is the creative agency behind this campaign. At the same time, a commercial featuring a Porsche Carrera Cup Asia racecar is launched. A Porsche 911 GT3 Cup bearing the new Coca-Cola livery takes to the track, sprinting in the sunshine and showcasing its powerful acceleration and top speed. Here’s the video.
The creative team was challenged to find some element that could demonstrate this partnership with profound linkages between taste and experience. They need the “wow factor” that combines the speed of car racing and the refreshment of coke. And the answer is:
The sound.
In the advert, the sound of a Coke bottle cap being unscrewed is echoed by the impressive roar of a 911 engine that stirs ups the excitement. Saatchi & Saatchi also created a second commercial for Porsche Carrera Cup Asia, featuring real car racers to continue to generate passion and excitement for the upcoming races. Check out the video here.
The partnership between Coca-Cola and Porsche can be traced all the way back to the 1970s, when legendary driver Robert “Bob” Akin brought the brands together and claimed podium finishes at legendary races – including 24h of Daytona – while driving a Coca-Cola liveried Porsche 935 and 962. This year, while the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia was postponed, and the once lively and crowded circuit appears empty, we remain passionate, looking into future races and journeys, just like racers.
Both influential brands reached their fans and consumers through out-of-box of communications approaches. The Porsche Carrera Cup Asia is brought to life on the iconic red and white cans of Coca-Cola. Moreover, exclusive collaboration merchants launched online sold out in seconds, receiving positive feedback from a number of press, celebrities and influencers that contributed to an excellent reputation on social platforms.
Photo courtesy of Porsche
The roar of the engine stirs up our yearning for speed, and the sports car sliding on the race track draws out the energy brought by the upliftment doubled. Sandy Wu, General Manager of Saatchi & Saatchi Shanghai says, “Co-branded marketing is no longer a simple A+B model. From consumers to brand clients, people no longer applaud for superficial collaborations. As an agency, we need to dig deeper, and find that marketing model, to connect both internal and external aspects between brand culture and product design, to establish a strong business culture and even emotional bonds, and to help collaborating brands gain greater value.”
