Gamers, have you ever wondered what experience points taste like? Coca-Cola Ultimate will grace your taste buds starting June 12 for a limited time. American and Canadian stores will offer regular and zero-sugar varieties, while other countries will only receive the latter.
If you thought I was kidding about the drink’s abstract flavor, think again. That is exactly how the company promoted its new offering, so we must taste it to learn more. Also, Coke Ultimate has special surprises for League of Legends players who scan its QR code!
Read further to learn more about the new Coca-Cola Ultimate flavor. Also, I will discuss what the beverage brand’s executives say about the new product. More importantly, I will cover the exciting in-game goodies it offers.
Why did Coca-Cola release a “gaming flavor?”
Photo Credit: forbes.com
It seems strange for a company to offer an obscure flavor, such as “experience points.” However, CEO James Quincey explained his long-term strategy for it during the Redburn CEO conference in November 2022.
Quincey said his company would not offer Coca-Cola Ultimate as a permanent product. Instead, it will help build buzz around the company’s core product.
“They’re more engaging and more interesting, demonstrably, than a flavor, a Coke with vanilla or something. Testing the boundaries… that’s about engagement with consumers.”
Coca-Cola has been trying to branch out to the Gen Z market, which mostly consists of avid video game players. Fortunately, its new marketing approach has allegedly worked because its market grew across all geographic regions.
“If I were to take the US… we can see that the growth in the Coke franchise is not just driven by increased recruitment, but increased engagement and recruitment of Gen Z, Quincey explained.
Coca-Cola Ultimate is not the drink maker’s first abstract flavor. The company’s Creations platform has been churning out other wacky concoctions about a year and a half ago.
These include the space-inspired Starlight, dream-inspired Dreamworld, and pixel-flavored Byte. Also, it released beverages inspired by award-winning artists Marshmello and Rosalia.
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What does Ultimate truly taste like? Oana Vlad, senior director of global strategy at Coca-Cola, keeps it a secret. “We’re never really going to answer that question in a straightforward way,” she teased.
“They’re mystery flavors, but they always have to taste like Coke. The flavor profile is always, we say, 85% to 90% Coke. And then that 10% to 15% twist of something unexpected,’ she noted.
Coca-Cola Ultimate supposedly tastes like “experience points.” The drink company says League of Legends players earn it based on their game time.
What are Coca-Cola Ultimate’s promos?
One of the coolest things about the new Coke flavor is the design. It has elaborate gold-and-black coloring with blue highlights inspired by hextech crystals.
According to League of Legends lore, these are the powerful magic stones Piltover City uses. These may sound familiar if you’ve watched the Netflix series Arcane.
As mentioned, each can of the gaming flavor has a QR code. Scan it to enter the Coca-Cola Creations Hub, which offers digital experiences related to the Ultimate flavor.
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For example, it features a League-themed Instagram filter at the time of writing. Later, it will feature an IG filter that will turn you into a “cinematic gaming hero.”
League of Legends players may also log in to the game to complete limited-time quests. Completing them rewards gamers with emotes related to Coca-Cola Ultimate until July 18.
The new flavor will be available in the US, Canada, Latin America, South Korea, Africa, and China. As mentioned, only the United States and Canada will offer the regular and zero-sugar variants.
Conclusion
Coca-Cola Ultimate will let gamers worldwide try what “experience points” taste like for a limited time. However, the announcement did not clarify how long the flavor will be publicly available.
The beverage company refuses to specify its flavor, so you should try it yourself. Also, it is a great drink that offers in-game bonuses to League of Legends players.
You should read more Inquirer Tech articles while waiting for the drink’s release. It lets you catch the latest tips and trends in gaming, artificial intelligence, and more.