Great post, Grant, but I disagree with the above. Losers’ fans will remember Coke as a part of the apparatus that gave their favorite a shot and brought them to semi-prominence in the first place. They place the blame on the all the knuckleheads in the audience who voted for someone else or failed to vote at all. (Curse them!). Coke’s in a can’t-lose position on AI.

Ed

but i’m still a little in the dark as to how coke benefits from its association with AI, beyond the obvious hope-for increased sales.

i think coke’s recent effort to introduce a new flavor, seemingly a new one every week and then quickly culling the losers, represents a far more profound shift in culture for the company. it used to be they had a stable of brands backed by the fearsome firepower of one of the most amazing marketing machines on the planet. now they’re throwing out new flavors willy-nilly and seeing which ones survive without the company investing all that many resources.

it seems to me this is a far more profound shift for coke than associating itself with AI.

No, Coke wins all around here. They’re there at the good times, and they’re there at the bittersweet times, to cheer you up.

If anything, Coke should bow out of the (albiet more entertaining) early rounds. What, with the cruel jokes about weight, sexuality, and personal attractivness. Talk about a message Coke doesn’t want to be around…

And I think those glasses are plastic. They seem like a souvenir from a theme park.

I don’t know, I can’t help think that even when someone loses and Coke is associated there is still an emotional involvement so Coke is still okay. For example…I think that Coke products with contestants images are semi-collectable no? Win lose? This is a funny topic for me because I just used a cover from an old magazine (Finacial World 1997) in a painting I am in the middle of making….the cover says “Why Coke Could Gets Crushed(and take the market with it)” I didn’t read the article but they sure must have been wrong, heh heh. I think the Coke in general is just enmeshed with A.I. and it’s all emotional and therefore all good. I think if Coke had anything to worry about, they should be making an organic non sugar, non sweetener product. I don’t buy Dasani, but they are onto something with the water.

I am really interested in hearing about the conference. In the mean time, I’ve got my hands full with Guy Kawasaki.
Cheers,
Candy

Believe it or not, there are people who don’t watch that overhyped karaoke. (OK, I watch the first round, to see all the freaks who think they are on the cusp of stardom.)

For the less pop-culture-addicted members of your readership, can you elaborate on Coke’s connection, and how is it any different from other advertising?