# Coca-Cola's CMO: Forget brand love, chase sales

> Coca-Cola's marketing chief explains why his next agency must prove it can drive actual consumption, not just feelings.
- Title: Coca-Cola's CMO: Forget brand love, chase sales · Adweek
- Summary: Coca-Cola's marketing chief explains why his next agency must prove it can drive actual consumption, not just feelings. Modern marketing success is measured…
- Keywords: coca-cola, manolo arroyo, agency review, wpp, omnicom, publicis groupe, global media account, brand marketing, marketing philosophy, attribution, sales metrics, Coca-Cola's
- Source: Adweek — https://adweek.com/agencies/coca-colas-top-marketer-reveals-what-hes-looking-for-in-his-next-agency
- Author: Ryan Joe
- Published: 2026-09-17T17:14:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: coca-cola, manolo arroyo, agency review, wpp, omnicom, publicis groupe, global media account, brand marketing, marketing philosophy, attribution, sales metrics
## 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.
## Key takeaway

Modern marketing success is measured by whether people actually buy and consume your product, not by how much they claim to love your brand.