Coca-cola in new retro customer marketing move

Customer lifetime value may be among the virtues Coca-cola is seeking to project in the latest retro campaign move.

The drinks maker has been engaged in a series of multi channel marketing initiatives based on its long history to mark 125 years of producing the product, including montages of old broadcast media messages and old-fashioned billboard ads.

It has produced limited edition versions of its original glass bottle, known as the Hutchinson, with these set to be sold through Selfridges stores in London, Birmingham and Manchester's Trafford Centre.

The item predates the more familiar contour bottle, which has been in use since 1916.

Original designs of this, as well as the Straight Sided and Prototype bottles will also be made available as limited edition items.

People with a strong sense of customer loyalty may be attracted by the prospect of being able to sample the drink from the retro bottles.

Coca-cola's anniversary campaign comes at a time when it has been working to protect its image.

It revealed in early April that it had stopped working with footballer Wayne Rooney, who had been promoting its Coke Zero product.

Although the contract between the two parties had ended last year - when issues in Rooney's private life had come under scrutiny - the timing of the announcement came just after the player got into trouble for swearing in front of a pitch-side TV camera after scoring a goal.