A look at Coca-Cola's strategy to launch ‘Bharat' version of Coke Studio

For long brands have banked on music to connect with consumers globally, be it through raps, music videos, music OTT collaborations or even via music content IPs.

One such music content IP that forms a case study for all brands tapping on music to connect with their TG is Coke Studio by the beverage brand Coca-Cola.

Earlier in February, Coca-Cola brought back its global music property Coke Studio to India after a gap of eight years, rebranding it as Coke Studio Bharat.

Arnab Roy

Commenting on the thought behind the launch of Coke Studio Bharat, Arnab Roy, Vice-President, Marketing Coca-Cola India, and South West Asia, said, “Coke Studio has always aimed to celebrate authentic regional music. Musical traditions from multiple regions in India are at an inflexion point not only in India but even globally. Coke Studio Bharat connects the truly distinct cultural dots of various regions in the country with artists whose music is defined by their roots. They are the real stars of the season, giving regional music a bigger impetus.”

The theme for this season is ‘Apna Sunao’ – music that tells the story of all of us, our rootedness and authenticity.

The brand has also created a content-led campaign to promote Coke Studio Bharat. Ogilvy X, part of Ogilvy has conceptualised the campaign for the brand

The season is an amalgamation of over 50 artists from across the country who have come together to create over 10 memorable tracks celebrating the roots of Bharat.

Coca-Cola has partnered with Universal Music India (UMI) as executive producers for the launch season of Coke Studio Bharat.

Talking about the cultural insights that have led Coca-Cola to launch the ‘Bharat’ version of Coke Studios, Roy said, “The first and foremost insight is the preference shift when it comes to music, especially with the Gen Z and the Gen Alphas. They are looking for authentic ways to express themselves, they are modern in their outlook but also in search of ways to connect with their roots. Therefore, it was imperative that Coke Studio Bharat’s artists and music gave each of them that connection.”

This time around, Coca-Cola launched the season on digital first instead of broadcasting it on TV.

Stating the reason for the digital-first approach, Roy said, “We looked at content consumption platforms. Music is primarily consumed on YouTube or on OTT streaming platforms. That’s why we chose to make this season digital-first instead of a broadcast-first format.”

Roy then shared the importance of music for brands to form a bond with gen Z and millennials. He commmented, “The Indian music industry is undergoing a revolution, and Gen Z is driving the change. Today, the youth seek authenticity, greater freedom of expression and openness to immerse themselves into different music forms that are unique, diverse, yet meaningful. Music is a unifier like none other.”

Coke Studio Bharat will host music that pays homage to the various parts of India that artists call home, connecting with stories that are rich in history, with diverse languages, and using varied musical instruments to create magical melodies set to enthral.

This season of Coke Studio is curated by the musician and songwriter, Ankur Tewari. He has onboarded a think tank comprising poet, lyricist and scriptwriter Kausar Munir along with sound engineer and music producer KJ Singh. Together they have handpicked regional gems to give their sound a new voice.

One can scan the QR code on Coca-Cola packs to directly reach the dedicated Coke Studio Hub that contains exclusive content that the artists have created, along with behind-the-scenes visuals.

Scanning the pack also allows the audience to view the 360-degree view of selected songs, thus virtually transporting the audience inside the sets of Coke Studio through their mobile phones.

Coke Studio also invites consumers to share their own renditions of their favourite Coke Studio Bharat songs to be amplified across the nation.