Coke Classic Ad Campaign Begins In U.K. As Sugar Tax Goes Into Effect

Coca-Cola European Partners (CCEP) has launched a four-week ad campaign touting Coke Classic, just as the U.K.’s sugar ax takes effect. The “We Do” campaign – the theme is “to celebrate and reinforce the uniqueness and specialness” of Coke – began on April 6. Ads will run on large outdoor formats (billboards, streets, roads, highways, transit, etc.) and on social media. Images of Elvis Presley are displayed with the tagline “They don’t make ’em like they used to. We do.” The new sugar levy will cost CCEP about $144 million, based on last year’s volume sales of 424.3 million liters. The sugar content of Coke Classic, whose sales rose just one percent in 2017, falls in the higher of two tax levels: sugar content greater than eight grams per 100 ml.