'Open Happiness' and enjoy life's simple pleasures with Coca-Cola

'Open Happiness' is the new platform for all integrated marketing for brand Coca-Cola globally. Including new points of sale (POS), promotions, outdoor and print advertising, digital and music components and more, the campaign will roll out throughout 2009 in the Middle East.

Music will play a central role in the new campaign beginning with a new track. In the Middle East, 'Eftah Tefrah', a song by Lebanese superstar Nancy Ajram will lift the spirits, adding to an international 'Global Happiness' music repertoire featuring the combined talents of Gnarls Barkley's Cee-Lo, Patrick Stump from Fall Out Boy, Brendon Urie from Panic at the Disco, Travis McCoy from Gym Class Heroes and Grammy-nominated Janelle Monae.

Alexis Sacre, President of Coca-Cola Middle East, said:

"Coca-Cola has always been dedicated to expressing the refreshingly positive message that even when life feels difficult and stressful, there are still moments throughout the day that are perfect opportunities to 'Open Happiness' and refresh yourself with life's simple pleasures."

"Open Happiness is our open invitation to tap into positivity, fun, and optimism by reminding people that Coke is always there to offer limitless avenues of fun and refreshment at anytime, any place," Sacre added.

'Open Happiness' is an evolution of the 'Coke Side of Life', a campaign that featured award-winning commercials such as 'Video Game', 'Happiness Factory', and 'It's Mine' and used as the primary marketing platform in nearly every one of the over 200 countries around the world where Coca-Cola is sold.

Inspired by the Global Happiness single, the Coca-Cola Middle East Business Unit marketing team adapted the cheerful theme for the exclusive song 'Eftah Tefrah' by the Lebanese superstar Nancy Ajram, to elevate spirits and inspire listeners across the Arab world. The song epitomizes the Open Happiness ethos of choosing at every turn to go with a positive, refreshing attitude and face life with a smile.

Coca-Cola will also seek what makes consumers happy with a new 'Happiness Blog' and the ability to upload testimonials about happiness, positivity and looking at life with an empowered attitude toward the future.

In addition to mass media elements, the campaign includes a range of Integrated Marketing Communication ideas in key markets to deliver grandeur to the message and drive positive word of mouth. The interactive features include a video clip competition online inviting consumers to shoot and upload their own video interpretation of the song; Bluetooth-enabled outdoors to download the theme song; booking the largest ever billboard for Coca-Cola in the Middle East (measuring 175 metres in length), and a Guinness World Record attempt in Dubai for "most people to open the legendary Coca-Cola contour bottle at the same time".

The global campaign was rolled out across the US and Western Europe, as well as India earlier this year, and will continue across the globe.