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My Coke Rewards

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This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 72.224.3.217 (talk) at 00:40, 7 October 2007 (→Unpublished Severe Limitations). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

My Coke Rewards is customer loyalty marketing campaign from Coca-Cola. Customers enter codes from specially marked packages of Coca-Cola products into a website. These codes are converted into virtual "points" which can in turn be redeemed for various prizes or sweepstakes entries.[1]

The program was first launched in 2006. [2] By November of that year, over one million prizes had been redeemed.[3] The current phase of the promotion began on 2007-04-16. Codes may be entered until 2007-12-31; and prizes may be claimed until 2008-01-31.[1]

Point values

Each different product is worth a different point value. The current values are as follows [1]:

My Coke Rewards

  • 12 oz (355 mL) cans (32 pack): 25 points
  • 20 oz (591 mL) bottles (8 pack): 24 points
  • 12 oz (355 mL) cans (24 pack): 20 points
  • 24 oz (710 mL) bottles (6 pack): 18 points
  • 12 oz (355 mL) cans (12 pack): 10 points
  • 500 mL (16.9 oz) bottles (24 pack): 10 points
  • 500 mL (16.9 oz) bottles (12 pack): 10 points
  • Single bottles of lemonade: 3 points
  • Single bottles of soda (all sizes): 3 points

Rewards range in cost from 0 points (discounted tickets to Six Flags amusement parks) to 18000 points (replica Coca-Cola cooler).

Unpublished Severe Limitations

Some consider the rewards program is nothing what it is cracked up to be. For instance, without publishing the limitations, the program does not allow more than 10 entries per day. If a customer was to consume a case of 15 Powerade bottles, it would take him two days to enter the bottle caps.

Customers have complained to Coca-Cola that the program is fraudulent due to these severe limitations and argue that a program set up to breed potential lifelong Coca-Cola customers is causing them to lose interest in the Coke Brand.

iCoke

Every PIN entry rewards 500 iCoke coins. Rewards including free concert tickets, free movie tickets, and discounted Canada's Wonderland tickets. Each ringtone requires 2200 coins and 1000 for wallpaper.

Code reuse

There are two types of code, single-use and multi-use codes. Single-use codes like those found on Coke products contain a mix of letters and numbers. These codes can only be used once, if they have been entered in any account they will not work again. Multi-use codes are identified by being all numeric. Thus far the numeric have all started with the 1800 and then followed by the remaining numbers. These have been distributed through email including during the 2006 Christmas holiday season,as well through direct mail and print advertising campaigns in various magazines and other publications. These codes may be entered by multiple users. Both Blockbuster and Disney Pirates of the Caribbean have participated in such special promotions.

Controversy

The program is one of several marketing campaigns that have come under fire from the Center for Digital Democracy, an advocacy group interested in regulating how food products are marketed to children. Coca-Cola's online marketing techniques are included in a 98-page report issued in May 2007 by the center and the American University called "Interactive Food & Beverage Marketing: Targeting Children and Youth"[4][5] and criticizes the program for collecting personal information from children, and for promoting obesity.[6] Childhood obesity was also a concern for weight-loss instructor Julia Griggs Havey who sued Coca-Cola over the program in 2006, but dropped her lawsuit a few weeks later. [7]

The reason as to why the lawsuit was dropped was for specific reasoning of it being frivolous. There was a misinterpretation as to what was required of a user in order to accumulate Coke points and obtain the current available reward(s) prizes. The first assumption, that those who have Coke codes must purchase the product in order to redeem them, was show to be untrue, as Coke stated they took into consideration that users may obtain codes from others. Second, it was pointed out that the CocaCola Company has other products besides Coca-Cola, including Nestea, Powerade and Dasani water that are available for those who wish not to consume high amounts of sugar, or caffeine.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c Official FAQ
  2. ^ Coca-Cola North America Announces Launch of "My Coke Rewards" Largest Program of Its Kind in Coca-Cola History, The Coca-Cola Company press release, 2006-02-28
  3. ^ My Coke Rewards Celebrates Redemption of One Millionth Reward and Offers 20 Million Free Bonus Points for the Holidays, PR Newswire, November 9, 2006
  4. ^ Marketing brief - "Interactive Food & Beverage Marketing" (PDF)
  5. ^ Full report -- "Interactive Food & Beverage Marketing" (PDF)
  6. ^ Stefanie Olsen (May 17, 2007). "Protecting kids from online food ads". CNET news. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help); Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  7. ^ Woman drops suit against Coca-Cola, St. Petersburg Times, 2006-08-06
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