Coca-Cola launches free stock and advertising support for pubs

The additional support is part of CCEP’s four-phase plan to help the on-trade recover from the coronavirus lockdown.

Now in phase four, the soft drinks producer has promised three more levels of help to pubs following previous financial and stock assistance since lockdown in March.

Revealing the new plans first to The Morning Advertiser, CCEP vice president for GB sales Rob Harris said the monetary value of the company’s support plan was in excess of £20m, including the £165,000 Coca-Cola Community Pub Fund, which is being used to reward winners of this years Great British Pub Awards.

“Lots of publicans are doing very well, but it’s variable in,” explained Harris. “It’s down to the sort of operations pubs run, such as those with gardens and community pubs doing well and city centre and bars struggling a little.”

Reopening of 26,000 outlets

The four-phase plan has already covered ‘Respond’, which saw CCEP provide cashflow support to pubs, before phase two of ‘Prepare’ was launched, with over 30,000 pieces of Coca-Cola equipment maintained prior to the reopening of 26,000 outlets.

‘Reopen’ saw CCEP make four bag-in-box lines free for 9,000 freetrade tenants, as well as a buy two and get one free offer through wholesalers.

“Now we’re talking about phase four, Recovery. The total investment over 2020 is £20m,” said Harris. “On top of what we’ve already done with stock replacement, we’ve started a ‘welcome back pack’ for 20,000 publicans which includes six free cases of our core package range of soft drinks, including Schweppes and Appletiser.

“It’s intended to make sure that publicans can get that right range in place as quickly as possible without putting stress on their cash flow.”

The value of the pack equates to near £300 sales per outlet for operators taking up the help.

From mid-August, CCEP will offer all customers a menu generator, which will provide them, free of charge, with designed and printed menus in various designs and styles.

Share its advertising resources

An ad generator platform will also be launched as part of Coca-Cola’s recently revealed international marketing campaign ‘Open Like Never Before’, which will see the company share its advertising resources with its out-of-home customers.

“We will be producing large billboard and out-of-home advertisements for over 100 hospitality businesses across the UK,” said Harris.

“An innovative ad generator tool will provide hundreds more customers with the resources and expertise to create their own customised adverts to share on their social media channels in an authentic and tailored way.”

Meanwhile some venues will be given media budgets from Coca-Cola to advertise and communicate through local media.

“What does Open like Never Before look like?,” said Harris. “It’s a message of positivity and openness that we’re supporting. Many of our customers are opening like never before, we’re encouraging consumers to go back into the hospitality trade. We’re doing a lot for the trade including hero-ing pubs, bars and restaurants.”