Packaging is also a digital entry point in Coca-Cola’s new campaign. The company announced October 12 that fans can scan promotional packs for personalised team experiences and prize opportunities. Buying the product places an advertising surface in the consumer’s hands.
“Fan Work Is Thirsty Work” combines US college and professional football, social content and a first integration with Yahoo Sports College Fantasy Football. The packaging features 13 college teams and 12 professional teams in selected markets. That final condition defines the campaign’s economics: a digital experience can circulate widely while the product providing access has a specific distribution.
Team affinity needs a product fans can find
A fan can recognise a team in social content and search for the corresponding pack in a shop. Continuity between those actions requires the store to carry that version and the scanned experience to deliver the message’s promise. Creative work supplies recognition; distribution determines how many people can complete the journey.
Personalisation therefore has a material foundation. The selected teams differentiate packs and provide a reason to notice a familiar drink. The variety also requires coordination over which version reaches each market. Increasing a post’s reach does not fill a gap on a shelf or turn a regional promotion into a nationwide offer.
The most useful commercial information accompanies the content: which pack participates, where it is available and what conditions govern the experience. Reducing that uncertainty brings a fan’s interest closer to a possible action. It also distinguishes someone consuming sports content from someone able to buy the promoted product.
Sporting affinity describes a potential audience, not buyers with access to every shop. In April 2025, 26% of US adults selected «TOP interest» for the NFL and 29% «somewhat interested», according to Seton Hall and the Statista series. The combined 55% identifies neither followers of the teams featured on packs nor access to the promotional product.
NFL interest exceeds half of the surveyed adults
Reported level of NFL interest, United States, April 2025.
Tap or hover for details. All values are also available in the data table.
Collapse notes
Seton Hall / YouGov, weighted online survey, 1,501 adults, 4–8 April 2025; reported margin ±3 percentage points. TOP is an intensity option, not an exclusive favourite league. Does not measure fans of featured teams or Coca-Cola sales.
Explore the data table
| Category | Respondents |
|---|---|
| Top interest | 26% |
| Somewhat interested | 29% |
| Not very interested | 13% |
| Not interested at all | 32% |
Weekly prizes can extend attention; sales require another proof
Coca-Cola announces new “Friday for the Win” prize opportunities throughout the season. Recurrence provides a reason to return to the digital experience. The fantasy football integration adds another place where the brand can meet repeated sporting habits. The announcement does not publish incremental sales attributable to those interactions.
Evidence for the next budget needs to follow exposure, availability and purchasing together. More scans can indicate interest in prizes; additional replenishment of participating packs supplies different commercial information. Examining both avoids attributing to content an outcome also dependent on stores, prices and distribution.
Scanning also has a broader base than a promotion. The global GWI series reported by Statista records monthly QR use among 50.5% of internet users aged 16+ in Q3 2025 and 49.6% in Q4. This worldwide reference describes a general digital habit. It does not quantify US fans buying a pack, entering a prize opportunity or purchasing again.
Around half of internet users report monthly QR use
Mobile QR use or scanning at least monthly, worldwide reference, Q3 and Q4 2025.
Tap or hover for details. All values are also available in the data table.
Collapse notes
GWI / DataReportal, internet users aged 16+. Quarterly sample sizes not stated in the consulted Statista metadata. Worldwide context, not a US rate or campaign outcome. Does not measure purchases, prizes or scan frequency; no significant-change inference.
Explore the data table
| Category | Respondents |
|---|---|
| Q3 2025 | 50.5% |
| Q4 2025 | 49.6% |
Packaging’s role makes the campaign distinctive: it connects a purchased object with an experience that can continue throughout the season. The connection strengthens the offer when fans can find their team and understand the next action. Profitable expansion is ultimately decided in markets where the digital promise and the available product arrive together.
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Marian Vasile
Marian Vasile is a MarTech and growth professional. His work spans product marketing, SEO, paid advertising and deep online tracking, including behavioral analytics and attribution.
