This post has little insight into the latest marketing and advertising trends but is rather my feelings on the summer soda promotions being put on by both Coke and Pepsi…
Begin rant
I actively play the ridiculous coke bottle cap game www.mycokerewards.com. (I started playing and now multiple co-workers provide caps almost daily) It has been setup so that when you drink coke, in just about any container, it will come with a game code located in the cap to enter into the website to enter to win contests, or trade in actual points for prizes. This is a tried and true method of getting people to interact with, use, shop for, and influence for your product. The possibilities are endless for the success of such a promotion – and I have participated in my fair share of them. I am sad to report that MyCokeRewards.com is an awful experience.
Aside from being a flash site (this is tolerable as you will see below) the rules and regulations for playing the “game” are extremely annoying. The site does not operate fast and the interface is awful to deal with. The site only lets you enter up to 10 codes per day – this means that if you want to play by their rules you have to wait until the following day. In addition, the following day actually means 24 hours after the 10th code was entered – so you cannot even play the following morning.
Another major problem is that your points expire. I actually received an email stating that my Coke Reward points were going to expire due to non-use. What?!? Great way to lose out on someone that is actually participating in your game Coca-Cola! This did not deter my participation as the caps kept coming from others…
Compare this to the experience found at www.Transformyoursummer.com. Sponsored by Pepsi this promotion works in the same way but the code entering and sweepstakes system is much more streamlined. I know that Pepsi has been doing this promotion co-branded with Yahoo for a few years and this might be why it works so well. For full disclosures sake I should admit that I won via the XBOX 360 giveaway a few years back and received an XBOX 360 2 weeks before it went on retail sale…but I digress.
My point is that shouldn’t these services have this whole thing down pat? I mean we are in 2007 and the multi-billion dollar soda companies are still leaving much to be desired with promotions that I know are persuading people to buy more of their respective products.
/End Rant
Technorati Tags: Coke, pepsi, transformyoursummer, transformers, Coca-Cola, MyCokeRewards, Soda, promotions
August 1st, 2007 at 7:49 pm
i am just trying to check ONE! bottle cap from transformyoursummer.com i cannot find out how to do it. all i get is a stupid survey, one that wants you to participate for eveything they can think of. does anyone know how to get on the site, and just check the cap??
August 1st, 2007 at 8:03 pm
Hi Marilyn,
Are you trying the official site: http://pepsi.yahoo.com/transformyoursummer/ ?
Give that a shot. I know that you need to sign up for a YahooID which is not so bad – great for Yahoo – and of course can be used for any of their services like email or any member login page.
September 17th, 2007 at 2:12 pm
After taking the 3 to 5 min survey which took almost 2 hours I finally closed out and started over at my cokerewards .com and tried to find out where to enter the codes. No luck . I’m swirching to Pepsi. (not)
September 19th, 2007 at 2:58 pm
How do you check out the codes on the caps
September 30th, 2007 at 6:44 pm
I have tried for thirteen days to get on mycokrewards.com to no avail. What is going on and did you DISCONTINUE the promotion? OMG!!!! I hope not!! I have collected sooooo many and am trying to get them put on my screen name for the site to get prizes. PLEASE say it ain’t so!!
October 4th, 2007 at 6:19 pm
i’ve been trying for three days to get in to mycokerewards and they won’t let me in, i’m getting pretty tried of it i love coke put with all this hassel i might start to drink pepsi instead.
October 11th, 2007 at 7:51 pm
WHY DOES ANYYONE HAVE TO GO THROUGH A 100 PAGES ON YOUR WEB SITE TO “FIND” THE PART THAT JUST SAYS “ENTER YOUR CODES HERE” FOR PRIZES AND POINTS>>>>>>EXPLAIN? THE FIRST TIME I ENTERED YOUR WEB SITE I HAD NO PROBLEM FINDING THE PLACE TO ENTER MY 100 CODES… I HAVE ONLY BEEN ABLE TO DO 15 or so…
October 17th, 2007 at 5:17 am
From JILL PLEASE I NEED HELP TRYING TO ENTER MY DIET PEPSI CODES ON http;//pepsi.yahoo.com/transformyoursummer/ and I can,t please send answer to my e-mail address with complete answer jcsbeachs@Yahoo.com thanks jcs
October 18th, 2007 at 9:44 pm
I AM A COKE DRINKER AND HAVE COLLECTED SEVERAL CAPS. BIG DEAL, I CAN’T CHECK THEM BECAUSE THE COKE SITE IS ALWAYS DOWN OR IT TAKES AN HOUR TO ENTER THEN NOTHING HAPPENS. WHAT A CROCK. I HAVE SINCE STARED DRINKING SAMS COLAS THEY’RE GREAT.ANYONE OUT THERE WANT MY SACK OF COKE TOPS?
October 21st, 2007 at 10:26 am
I’ve been doing coke rewards since it started and just looked to see what prize I might want. Well there is nothing left worth getting. I’m not real happy with coke. I hope they add more prizes before the game is over.
October 31st, 2007 at 4:54 pm
ive gotten several great prizes through cokes promotion – we have used about 6000 points and received things like coolers to a watch to their lawn chairs – i dont see how anyone can complain when all of this stuff is free
October 31st, 2007 at 9:46 pm
I have 1700 coke reward points and for the last 3 days I cannot even get on the site. Perhaps they were made that I was getting so many points in? The main compliant I have is that it was a Mother/Son adventure and we collected them everywhere, including under bleachers at my nephews football game. I have friends and family sending me caps all the time. Now, what isnt fair is that we were saving points for a Wii game systems and wow, suddenly they do not have anymore to give away. I doube anybody saved the 6000 points it took to get it anyway with the 10 code limit. I am a cokaholic so I will probably remain faithfull but I am not happy about the site being down and then changin rewards just when you think you are getting somthing good. Oh, Like we also wanted Kings Island tickets. WE had enough to get 2 tickets and when we tried to redeem it said something like “no longer available” errrrr
November 8th, 2007 at 8:22 pm
I HATE THE WEBSITE!!! I enter in that i want the dollar couupon off of the twelve pack of coke zero. It takes the points but says that I have exceeded the maximum time of coupons printed. That would be the third!!! coupon that i have tried to print. I emailed customer service and had a machine automatically respond to my question. Im still waiting on an actual human and that was days ago. If cokes goal was to gain more customers I think they fell way short.
November 14th, 2007 at 12:44 am
What happend to all the prizes when my son started collecting there were tons of prizes now there is nothing are they adding more to the my coke site?
November 25th, 2007 at 2:59 pm
THERE ARE NO PRIZES ,
November 28th, 2007 at 4:49 pm
liz-November 28, 2007 I have been trying for a month to log on to the site to enter more codes and now it is all different. why has it changed. What do I do now
June 4th, 2008 at 3:22 am
It is truly pitiful when a huge company such as “Coke” takes advantage of it’s most loyal customers. We purchase and therefore likely consume gallons of thier products to obtain the “cap codes” and then are not allowed to redeem them because the site is forever more down due to maintainence. I suppose it will be the same old story, it will be down until the contest is over, or causing one to re-register and therefore losing the points already gained. Personally, if “Coke” can’t render the site usuable, they should reimburse each and everyone of us the costs of the points already entered and then refrain from ever again concocting such a poorly managed contest.
June 25th, 2008 at 10:49 pm
I just read your article about the coke rewards wedsite – I cannot believe I finally read something I agree with. I have been complaining about the website to anyone that would listen but unfortunately I can’t let coke know as there is no ccontact me info on the site. The site is slow, doesn’t let me see the entire screen so sometimes I can’t submit something since I can’t see the submit button, therefore, can’t get to the next page….. thanks for understanding.
June 30th, 2008 at 12:08 am
Coke offered double points for June 25th. I and my kids tried different times to log in, but couldn’t (system busy response). Coke has not responded to any of my emails asking for remedy and appears to not be doing anything about this problem. I did as they promoted and wanted me to do and they did not hold up their end of the bargain I guess it’s back to Sam’s Choice for me. Coke has definitely created Ill Will with me
July 15th, 2008 at 11:53 pm
I enter 10 codes every day at 11:00 am sharp. I have received 10 prizes, and have never had a code expire. New prizes come up periodically. This is my favorite website!!!!!
August 4th, 2008 at 4:49 am
we have been doing this for a while now and have gotten probably 25 different things – i dont understand how people can complain when everything on here is free – people need to quit whining when the site may be down and understand that tens of thousands of people are on it daily
August 14th, 2008 at 6:03 pm
First time doing the coke rewards & I enjoy it.
One problem, when you are going for that one prize & you see that it is gone it is a disappointment. Why dosen’t coke put more prizes (electronics) in the catagory list?
September 17th, 2008 at 1:29 pm
i need not to comment because the force is strong with young padawon.
September 17th, 2008 at 1:29 pm
i need not to comment because the force is strong with young padawon.
September 17th, 2008 at 1:29 pm
i need not to comment because the force is strong with young padawon.
September 17th, 2008 at 1:29 pm
i need not to comment because the force is strong with young padawon.
September 17th, 2008 at 3:29 pm
i need not to comment because the force is strong with young padawon.
September 17th, 2008 at 4:32 pm
What?
September 17th, 2008 at 4:32 pm
What?
September 17th, 2008 at 4:32 pm
What?
September 17th, 2008 at 4:32 pm
What?
September 17th, 2008 at 6:32 pm
What?
October 19th, 2008 at 11:07 am
This seems to me to be a scam by COKE since it is impossible to get to a screen that lets one enter the cokes. I may have to learn to like pepsi with my rum.
October 19th, 2008 at 11:07 am
This seems to me to be a scam by COKE since it is impossible to get to a screen that lets one enter the cokes. I may have to learn to like pepsi with my rum.
October 19th, 2008 at 11:07 am
This seems to me to be a scam by COKE since it is impossible to get to a screen that lets one enter the cokes. I may have to learn to like pepsi with my rum.
October 19th, 2008 at 11:07 am
This seems to me to be a scam by COKE since it is impossible to get to a screen that lets one enter the cokes. I may have to learn to like pepsi with my rum.
October 19th, 2008 at 1:07 pm
This seems to me to be a scam by COKE since it is impossible to get to a screen that lets one enter the cokes. I may have to learn to like pepsi with my rum.
November 2nd, 2008 at 2:48 pm
I haven't had any trouble on the site. I do think the 10 code limit is dumb, but I'm putting 10 in every day, hoping that I can win just one nice prize.
November 2nd, 2008 at 2:48 pm
I haven't had any trouble on the site. I do think the 10 code limit is dumb, but I'm putting 10 in every day, hoping that I can win just one nice prize.
November 2nd, 2008 at 2:48 pm
I haven't had any trouble on the site. I do think the 10 code limit is dumb, but I'm putting 10 in every day, hoping that I can win just one nice prize.
November 2nd, 2008 at 2:48 pm
I haven't had any trouble on the site. I do think the 10 code limit is dumb, but I'm putting 10 in every day, hoping that I can win just one nice prize.
November 2nd, 2008 at 3:01 pm
I agree – they should not expire either.
November 2nd, 2008 at 3:01 pm
I agree – they should not expire either.
November 2nd, 2008 at 3:01 pm
I agree – they should not expire either.
November 2nd, 2008 at 3:01 pm
I agree – they should not expire either.
November 2nd, 2008 at 4:48 pm
I haven't had any trouble on the site. I do think the 10 code limit is dumb, but I'm putting 10 in every day, hoping that I can win just one nice prize.
November 2nd, 2008 at 5:01 pm
I agree – they should not expire either.
November 2nd, 2008 at 10:48 pm
I haven't had any trouble on the site. I do think the 10 code limit is dumb, but I'm putting 10 in every day, hoping that I can win just one nice prize.
November 2nd, 2008 at 11:01 pm
I agree – they should not expire either.
July 25th, 2010 at 5:38 am
It seems like the Coke promotions are the ones that getting all customers attentions. I have tried playing with the code as well and yeah it is very addicting in terms you will again buy another coke for the code to re enter. They did a splendid job promoting their products over their competition.
-Val