Coca-Cola has unveiled Coca-Cola Ultimate, a new limited edition flavor aimed at gamers. In collaboration with Riot Games, the creator of the popular online game League of Legends, the beverage will be available in stores in the United States and Canada starting from June 12th, in both regular and sugar-free versions. Globally, it will only be available in its sugar-free version. The strategy aims to attract new consumers, especially video game enthusiasts.

 

Coca-Cola has expanded its product offerings to appeal to younger audiences and revitalize the sugar-free soda category, which has shown slow growth in recent years. The line of abstract flavors, tied to digital experiences such as music and online gaming, seeks to generate excitement among younger consumers.

 

Like other limited edition beverages from Coca-Cola, the Ultimate flavor keeps its true taste a secret. The mysterious flavors serve as a strategy to create anticipation around the company's flagship products. According to Oana Vlad, Senior Director of Global Strategy at Coca-Cola, the taste always resembles the classic Coca-Cola flavor by 85% to 90%, with an unexpected twist of 10% to 15%.

 

Coca-Cola aims not only to attract new consumers but also to build brand engagement. Limited edition flavors do not become permanent offerings but instead help generate interest around the company's main products. This approach has proven successful as the Coca-Cola brand experienced growth in the first quarter across all geographic regions, partly driven by interest from Generation Z.

 

Coca-Cola's strategy also includes virtual experiences combined with time-limited offers. For example, the Starlight can featured a QR code to access a holographic concert by Ava Max. With the Creations platform, Coca-Cola ventures into the world of music and video games, capitalizing on the fertile ground this market represents.

 

The partnership between Coca-Cola and Riot Games goes beyond the limited edition flavor. The two companies announced a multi-year partnership in March of last year and had previously collaborated between 2014 and 2016. With Creations, Coca-Cola aims to reach players in different ways, expanding its presence in the world of video games. Ultimate, tied to League of Legends, offers players the opportunity to obtain Ultimate emotes and an Instagram filter through a QR code on the bottle. According to Eric Krause, Global Head of Marketing for League of Legends at Riot Games, Ultimate is the "crown jewel" of this ever-evolving partnership.