Creative brief: Launching CBD Coca-Cola
Who the target audience is
The target audience for CBD Coca-Cola is millennials and members of Gen Z between the ages of 18 and 40 living in an era of constant noise. They are hyperconnected, socially aware and always online, processing a steady stream of information, opinions and world events. This generation feels pressure to stay informed, productive and in control, even as global and digital chaos make that nearly impossible.
In response, they have embraced wellness, mindfulness and “clean living” as ways to regain balance. Yet even those rituals can feel performative or exhausting, creating a new kind of mental burnout. These consumers do not just want to relax; they want to let go — to step out of the performance of perfection and into a moment of genuine calm. They are open to CBD as a natural solution for rest and relief but want it introduced through a brand they already trust. For them, Coca-Cola Calm represents more than a beverage; it is a brief, refreshing act of release in a world that never stops asking for more.
Where the ad will appear
The campaign will reach this audience across digital, physical and experiential touchpoints designed to interrupt everyday noise. Out-of-home placements will appear in fast-paced urban environments such as Los Angeles, New York, Atlanta and Austin, using bold simplicity and quiet design to stand out from visual clutter.
Digital and social content will live across platforms such as TikTok, Instagram and YouTube, where the message can disrupt constant scrolling with moments of stillness. Connected-TV and streaming placements will air during lifestyle and wellness content, aligning with times when audiences are looking to unwind.
Experiential activations, including immersive pop-up spaces, will invite people to step away from the chaos and experience mental stillness firsthand. Editorial partnerships with outlets such as Hypebeast, Refinery29 and MindBodyGreen will position the product within cultural and wellness conversations, bridging credibility and lifestyle relevance.
What the goal is
The goal is to introduce CBD Coca-Cola as a beverage that reflects the emotional needs of today’s generation — one that provides relief, calm and balance in an overstimulated world. It aims to evolve Coca-Cola’s image from a symbol of happiness and nostalgia into an expression of presence and mindfulness.
Beyond generating awareness and sales, the campaign seeks to reposition Coca-Cola as a brand that understands the pace and pressures of contemporary life. It highlights the company’s ability to innovate while remaining emotionally grounded, showing that refreshment can also mean stillness. Success will be measured by its ability to connect Coca-Cola to the growing demand for functional wellness products and reintroduce the brand as a companion for balance in a time of excess.
Current vs. desired perception
Coca-Cola is currently perceived as a nostalgic, sugary indulgence — a brand tied to happiness and celebration but also one that represents excess in a culture fixated on moderation and health. For wellness-minded millennials and Gen Z consumers, traditional soda feels out of sync with their lifestyle, associated with artificiality and outdated notions of pleasure.
The desired perception is to evolve Coca-Cola from a symbol of indulgence into a symbol of balance. Through a CBD-infused product, the brand can reframe refreshment as restorative — a moment of calm rather than excess. The goal is not to abandon Coca-Cola’s heritage of optimism but to modernize it, positioning the brand as a companion for pause and presence in a world that rarely stops.
Why the ad is needed
Today’s cultural climate is marked by chaos, political division, social tension, climate anxiety and endless media consumption. The average person processes more information in a week than previous generations did in a month, leaving many overstimulated and mentally fatigued. Millennials and Gen Z are particularly affected, juggling personal growth, productivity and social awareness all at once. In this environment, even wellness has become performative, turning self-care into another form of work. The world doesn’t need another product promising energy; it needs one that promises peace.
CBD Coca-Cola enters this conversation as a culturally relevant, emotionally grounded solution — a small, familiar act of relief in a time when people are desperate to unwind. This campaign reconnects Coca-Cola to a new definition of well-being, centered on emotional calm, not perfection. It expands the brand’s heritage of happiness and optimism into a message of mindful presence, offering a moment of genuine stillness in a culture of overstimulation.
Advertising headline and tagline
Headline: World Stop.
The phrase “World Stop.” immediately resonates with millennials and Gen Z because it fuses cultural recognition, emotional truth and psychological immediacy. It references Beyoncé’s “Feeling Myself,” in which she famously declares, “World stop… carry on.” For this audience, that moment represents power and self-command — the idea that you can pause the world and reclaim your space.
At the same time, “World Stop.” captures the emotional state of a generation overwhelmed by constant input. Their attention spans have shortened not from lack of focus but from saturation. A phrase this concise and commanding cuts through clutter by mimicking the very interruptions that dominate their digital lives.
Strategically, it reframes Coca-Cola’s promise of refreshment into a moment of psychological stillness. It uses minimalism to meet audiences where they are — overstimulated, time-poor and craving simplicity. “World Stop.” becomes an emotional intervention that acknowledges the chaos of modern life and offers a familiar brand as a trustworthy pause within it.
Out-of-home placement
The campaign would appear through large-scale out-of-home placements in high-traffic, visually overstimulating environments such as Times Square in New York City, Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles and Centennial Olympic Park Drive in Atlanta. These spaces are known for sensory overload, making the simplicity of the message stand out.
A minimalist billboard bearing only the words “World Stop.” in Coca-Cola’s typography would command attention, creating silence amid chaos. Additional placements — digital transit shelters, bus wraps and large-scale building projections — would appear during moments of transition, such as commutes or while waiting for transportation. Encountering “World Stop.” in those in-between moments reinforces the message, offering a brief, grounding pause within the noise of modern life.
In this way, Coca-Cola redefines refreshment for a new generation: not as stimulation or indulgence, but as stillness.