The drinks giant claims to be leveraging neuroscience principles to convey a satisfying auditory experience.
In its latest step into the world of AI-powered marketing, Coca-Cola has developed an instrument that it claims leverages both AI and neuroscience to simulate the experience of drinking its products.
Through a new app called Coke SoundZ, users can create their own melodies based on the sound of cracking a Coke bottle and taking a sip.
According to the brand's press release, the sounds transmitted through the app ('swish', 'swish', 'tlink', 'gah' and 'aah') are all “likely to trigger a feeling of satisfaction in our brains.”
The app's user interface has five toggles representing each of the cola-derived sounds above a button labeled “AI generated,” suggesting an algorithm is used to mix the sounds.
Beyond that, Coca-Cola is vague about how AI will actually be involved in this new marketing effort. According to a press release, the technology is being used to “analyze waveforms” from the sounds of the soda drinking experience.
As of this writing, the company has not responded to requests for details about its use of AI in this campaign.
Similarly, few details were provided about the neuroscience that is said to underpin this effort. To build Coke SoundZ, the brand collaborated with Katherine Lewis, a cognitive scientist and “science communicator,” according to her LinkedIn profile.
“Any noise, from the sound of fizzing to the clinking of ice cubes, creates a sense of anticipation and releases dopamine in the brain,” Lewis said in a Coke press release. “We aimed to incorporate this science into AI to deliver uplifting and fun sounds.”
In addition to the digital instrument, which is available for free on the App Store and Google Play, Coke also launched a physical version of Coke SoundZ, shaped like a glass bottle of Coke Zero, and distributed to a small number of DJs. We encourage producers and creators to create their own tracks.
Similar to the app, the physical instrument offers a set of additional sound settings to produce a variety of synth tones, giving musicians a wide range of creative options.
@andyarthursmith Watch us build this track from scratch using Coke SoundZ. Try it yourself! https://cokeurl.com/CokeSoundz @Coca-Cola #BestCokeEver #cokepartner ♬ Original Sound – Andy Arthur Smith
The new campaign isn't Coke's first foray into AI-centered marketing. In November, the beverage giant launched a campaign featuring AI-generated images at Sphere in Las Vegas to promote its 3,000 yen zero-sugar soda. In early 2023, the brand launched the 'Create Real Magic' challenge, in which artists were tasked with creating new Coke-branded content using generative AI models.
Coke SoundZ – an extension of Coke’s ongoing Real Magic campaign – was developed in partnership with WPP Open X and AKQA.
The device has already been used in marketing campaigns for Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, and there are plans to incorporate it into music-focused brand campaigns in the future, according to a company press release.
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