What's the BIG Idea?

In one of my earlier blog posts I discussed the genius advertising of the one and only Coca-Cola. Now I may be a little biased because my home, Atlanta, is the home of the Coca-Cola Company, but I believe Coke is one of the most successful and well loved brands in the world. They are known for producing some of the most famous advertising of all times. What’s the secret behind this creative power house company? The answer is simple, their success stems from the creation of an excellent big idea.

 
The big idea in advertising is crucial to developing a great campaign. A good big idea lives on for years and has multiple contexts among different mediums, but they all still send the same message. A advertising big idea is a strong central concept or image that has legs for different executions. They stimulate the mind and play on emotions. Big ideas are simple and easy to understand. They are not lists of benefits.

 So why do people drink Coca-Cola? Some people like the taste. For others, it's how well Coke quenches their thirst. And some just enjoy the unique combination of sugar and caffeine. How can Coke effectively advertise to all these different people who each had different reasons for drinking Coke? By creating a central big idea that connects with all types of consumers and links the concept to the message: happiness.


Coke’s big idea is happiness. The idea of “happiness” is something exportable to any culture and highly-customizable. It's hard to argue with happiness. It's hard to be against happiness. And it's hard to find anyone who doesn't like happiness. Coke linked its brand with happiness, and orients its product, packaging, and promotion in that direction. Happiness is an idea that has been rooted into Coke and animates their brand. Here are some different examples of executions Coke produced that all send the same message, happiness.

 

Big ideas are fresh and provoking ideas that hold a viewer’s attention. Coca-Cola has mastered the concept of a advertising big idea and this is why they have been at the forefront of global marketing.