Coca-Cola's $4 billion account is up for grabs

The beverage giant is reviewing its global media, data, and tech business, with WPP favored to retain the account. North America is being pitched separately.

What the next agency must deliver

Coca-Cola's CMO Manolo Arroyo wants deeper integration with creators, influencers, retail media, and strong attribution capabilities that tie spending directly to sales.

“We want to connect that with content creators, live experiences, retail experiences, and ensure that the majority of our investment drives actual consumption and sales.”

WPP's winning formula from 2020

Coca-Cola chose WPP five years ago because of integration. The holding company created Open X, a dedicated full-service agency pulling talent across its network to serve the beverage giant.

Omnicom is building commerce muscle

Omnicom has invested heavily in dedicated commerce capabilities and tying media spend directly to sales, positioning itself as a strong contender for the account.

Brand love is dead, consumption is king

Arroyo's marketing philosophy has shifted from chasing brand love to driving actual behavior and consumption. Millions might love Coca-Cola but never drink it, so metrics must measure real sales impact.

“I do not believe anymore in love. Marketing is about changing human behavior, getting someone to drink this instead of that.”

The metric that changed everything

Coca-Cola's transformation began by pivoting away from brand love metrics. Sales were rising while brand love stayed flat, proving the old metric was meaningless.