Coke iconic bottle gets a metal attitude

ATLANTA Coca-Cola in 2008 will begin test-marketing Coke and Coke Zero products in aluminum bottles, joining Budweiser and PepsiCo in embracing this cutting-edge form of packaging.

The benefits of aluminum bottles include enhanced graphic capabilities and the ability to keep beverages colder longer. Though they cost about three times that of glass, the the company commissioned five young design groups from around the world to create free-form designs for limited-edition issues of its all-new contoured aluminum bottle. Coke will roll out one of the five newly designed bottles every several months or so, giving the campaign a lifespan of approximately a year.

The first of the new designs to be introduced features a “retro” look that incorporates the “dynamic ribbon” from Coca-Cola’s logo. Like all of the designs produced, the bottle has a daytime look and a glow-in-the-dark look that is achieved when the bottle is viewed under ultraviolet light, as might be the case in a darkened club.

The new 8-ounce packaging is symbolic of Coke’s refined focus on revamping its core identity. The company is targeting young, urban trendsetters as the initial audience for its new package. The bottles will first be tested at high-profile events and clubs in such markets as Atlanta and Philadelphia with the hope that the package’s exclusivity will generate a buzz that will help inject new excitement into—and ultimately new sales for—the brand.

This marks the second foray by Coke into aluminum bottles, the first being its new Caribou Coffee line in 12-ounce Alumi-Tek bottles that launched in August.