“We wanted to create a dream-inspired drink that was recognizable as Coca-Cola, but with added cues that bring the playfulness and brightness of dreams to life,” a company spokesman said in an email about the product.
“We took inspiration from the world of Technicolor dreams and added a pinch of vibrant flavors to our great Coca-Cola taste,” added the spokesperson.
“Dreamworld” is the fourth drink from Coca-Cola Creations, Coke’s new innovation platform focused on limited-time items with a digital component. Creations is a way for Coca-Cola to shine a spotlight on its core product while trying to engage gamers and a younger audience.
A few years ago, Coca-Cola halved its portfolio and ditched popular products like Tab. With fewer products, it’s become even more important for the company to generate interest in Coke. But regular soda sales are declining at all soft drink companies, so Coke needs to be creative.
Products like Dreamworld, which promote a concept rather than a taste, are one way to spark conversations around Coca-Cola.
Before Dreamworld, Creations introduced Starlight (space flavored) and Byte (pixel flavored). The third product, launched earlier this summer, had a more traditional strawberry and watermelon flavor. While it didn’t have a mysterious-sounding flavor, it was developed in collaboration with Marshmello, a Grammy-nominated DJ and electronic music producer, and marked the beverage company’s first time creating a drink with an artist.
Each flavor from Coca-Cola Creations is launched alongside a specialized online experience, and Dreamworld is no exception.
Dreamworld cans and bottles come equipped with QR codes that provide access to a virtual, augmented reality “music experience” where people can listen to music played by a DJ avatar and play games. Customers can also get digital Dreamworld-inspired outfits for their avatars online.
Those who want to try Dreamworld can purchase it for a limited time starting August 15 in the United States and Canada. The product will be available in regular and sugar-free varieties.