JOHANNESBURG – This year, Coca-Cola is getting personal, and going ‘Cray-Cray’ about ‘BFF’s’, ‘Cuzzies’, ‘Soulmates’, ‘Hotties’ and ‘Friends’.

Back by popular demand, Coca-Cola is re-launching their Share a Coke campaign, but this time with an exciting twist that will no doubt get South African’s talking and sharing smiles with everyone.  By increasing the amount of names on personalised 330ml cans and 500ml bottles, and introducing popular phrases such as ‘Whaddup?’ ‘Turn up’, ‘Shake it’ and ‘I’m yours’, Coca-Cola is giving South Africans the opportunity to say what’s on their minds in a fun and quirky way.

Coca-Cola is taking the personal – and making it social. Now you can share a Coke and a smile with a personal message such as ‘XOXO Thandi’, ‘Mpho Be Mine, ‘Howzit Pieter’ or ‘Priya My Love’. How ‘Amazeballs’ is that? “Social networking is a huge part of the teen scene. Messaging and sharing content with one another makes up a significant part of almost every teens waking day,” says Sharon Keith, Marketing Director at Coca-Cola Southern Africa. “Coca-Cola is also part of their lives and by giving them the tools to create these special messages using our packaging, we hope that we can help bring smiles and happiness to the faces of many people over the festive season”

The Share a Coke and a smile campaign lives beyond the 330ml can and 500ml bottle and 2L, 2.25L and 2.5L packs will assist in getting people together and bringing smiles to every braai, lunch, pool party or dinner this festive season. These bottles invite consumers to ‘Share a Coke with  ‘Neighbours’, ‘Aunties’, ‘Uncles’, ‘The Band’, ‘Players’ and even the ‘In-Laws’, whilst not forgetting ‘Santa’!

“Last year, Coca-Cola® made every effort to ensure that consumers could find a personalized can or bottle with their, or a friend or family member’s name on it,’ says Sharon Keith. “ But for those whose names that did not make the final list, we specially designed ‘Share a Coke’ vending machines that toured the country in the attempt to provide Coca-Cola fanatics with the opportunity to have their own names printed on cans and this year will be no different.”