Mezzo Mix's Real-Time Marketing Win: Embracing the Leak

In a fast-response marketing move, Mezzo Mix, a beloved German cola-mix brand part of The Coca-Cola Company (TCCC) portfolio, transformed a potential PR hiccup into a buzzworthy campaign. The brand’s anticipated limited-edition flavour, Berry Love, slated for a January 2025 relaunch, was inadvertently leaked by social media food influencer @junkfoodguru (170k+ followers). Instead of ignoring the leak, Mezzo Mix leveraged the online conversation to fuel excitement and create the "Surprise Ruined" campaign.

"Marketing nowadays should be about joining the conversation, not dictating it," believes the Mezzo Mix team. "The 'Surprise Ruined' campaign is a perfect example of how a brand can authentically engage with its audience by reacting to real-time events”.

The "Surprise Ruined" campaign playfully laments a fictional, over-the-top launch, with witty out-of-home executions across Germany. DOOH, posters, LED trucks, and content creator reactions, all around the "ruined" grand reveal. This tongue-in-cheek approach turns the leak into a shared joke with the audience, further fuelling anticipation for Berry Love's actual return. 

The copy highlights a melting billboard revealing a drag queen sculpture, a berry-projected solar eclipse over the Ku'damm, berry-powered trains, and even renaming the Prenzlauer Berg district to "Prenzlauer Beere" (Berry). Other executions humorously describe a cola pool with berry suits, a berry-flavoured volcano erupting over Kreuzberg, and covering the Tempelhofer Feld with giant berry bushes visible from space.

The campaign was created by WPP Open X, led by VML Germany with the support of EssenceMediacom and produced by Das Blaue vom Himmel (DBvH) and DaHouse. "In today's world, brands need to react at the speed of culture," adds Simona Suman, CCO VML Germany, "We're delighted with the outcome of the campaign and our ongoing partnership with Mezzo Mix. This is just a taste of the innovative work we'll create together."

Berry Love, a fan favorite since its initial limited release in 2014, will be available at major retailers across Germany, including Aldi, Edeka, Lidl, Rewe, and Kaufland, starting January 2025. In the meantime, fans can participate in a special promotion on the Coca-Cola app for a chance to win exciting prizes with the purchase of Mezzo Mix Regular and Zero cans with limited design and look forward to the exciting experiences that Mezzo Mix Berry Love will bring starting January 2025.