Coca-Cola Releases AI Musical Gadget ‘Coke SoundZ’

Coca-Cola, together with agencies WPP Open X and AKQA, just unveiled its newest innovation, using the sounds of its iconic soft drink to create an AI-powered musical app and gadget. 

Using generative AI, the soda giant created "Coke SoundZ," a bottle-shaped music maker that turns the "uplifting sounds" you'd hear from Coke Zero Sugar into melodies.

These include "optimistic" sounds recorded by producers and scientists, such as the fizzing, the glugging, and the refreshing "ahhs" from sipping a can of soda.

@andyarthursmith Watch me build this track from scratch with Coke SoundZ! Try it for yourself! https://cokeurl.com/CokeSoundz @Coca-Cola #BestCokeEver#cokepartner♬ original sound - Andy Arthur Smith

The bottle version of the instrument was made available to selected DJs, and producers worldwide, teaming up with several content creators to take the new instrument for a spin.

While its physical version remains exclusive to Coke partners, the mobile app version is free to download in the U.S.

How Coke SoundZ Harped on AI

AI comes into play by analyzing the waveforms from the different sounds of people drinking Coke.

In the app, users can toggle with the settings of each sound using five sliders. Once they're set, they can click "AI generate" to create and mix the individual Coke sounds.

When done, they can save their presets or load previous creations.

"From the sound of the fizz to the clink of the ice, every noise triggers a sense of anticipation that releases dopamine in our brains," Cognitive Scientist Katherine Lewis said in Coke’s press release.

"We incorporated this science into the AI, seeking to provide sounds that are uplifting and enjoyable."

Pratik Thakar, Coca-Cola VP and global head of generative AI, expounded further on the company's use of AI. 

"Coke SoundZ is the perfect example of how we are using AI to create enhanced and personalized fan experiences," she explained. 

@cyranmakesmusic Use this sound and show me your reaction https://cokeurl.com/CokeSoundz #cokepartner#BestCokeEver#cyran #beat#piano @Coca-Cola ♬ original sound - cyran

"Coca-Cola Zero Sugar provided us with the musical blueprint, we then found the technology to capture the unique ‘Fizzes’ and ‘Clinks’ and created an instrument that allows people to create completely unique harmonies intended to spark joy in every note," Thakar added.

Previously, the soda company also used AI to create its own "Coke Sans Sugar" font, using an object detection algorithm to identify lettered shapes across over 100,000 photos of Coke Zero Sugar's characteristics.

Coca-Cola Launches 'Recycle Me' Billboards

Outside of North America, Coca-Cola launched a new out-of-home (OOH) campaign that proves its iconic logo is easily recognizable despite "crushed" text. 

The "Recycle Me" series features a set of billboards showcasing the Coca-Cola logo crushed into different shapes and sizes — as if to replicate a squished soda can. 

Made with its agency partners WPP Open X and Ogilvy New York, the posters are meant to symbolize the recycling process used for Coca-Cola cans, being run through presses and vacuums, or crunched up together and flattened.

It hopes to strike a chord among consumers, encouraging them to actively recycle the cans.

"We recognized that there was a unique opportunity to leverage an aspect of the product itself, the 'Recycle Me' call to action that is on the side of every can," Ogilvy New York Chief Creative Officer Samira Ansari shared with AdWeek.

"The logo is usually one of the elements that are untouchable, so imagine asking a client to crush their logo — but when you realize that even after all the different ways we crushed it, the logo was still recognizable, creating a unique opportunity."

Editing by Katherine 'Makkie' Maclang