Fans by association - 11 Apr 2011

Coca-Cola launched its Surprise your Senses campaign in Malawi over the weekend using music as a hook to attract teenagers and young adults into buying into the brand. They've used a similar approach in South Africa attaching the brand to music-related events such as the annual MyCoke Fest / Zerofest music festivals, as well as the talent search TV show, Coca-Cola Pop Stars. A brand can't really go wrong when aligning itself to music - music manages to cross cultural borders and unite fans. Seen to be supporting local African talent against a bombardment of international headliners, these brands, in a sense, gain respect from the locals. In South Africa a number of brands have gained a foothold in the "cool" local music scene including Levi's and Puma - and fans of the music, by association, become fans of the brand. As long as the relationship seems sincere, associating a brand with music can garner a whole new fan base - for both artist and brand.