Lauren Thompson, Director, Brand and Business Communications, The Coca-Cola Company
Lauren Thompson led the charge on public relations and communications efforts for some of The Coca-Cola Company’s most high profile campaigns in 2014. In a category that is constantly under siege, Thompsons’s impeccable foresight and pragmatism have proven vital to reaching new consumers while securing the company’s status as one of the world’s most respected brands.
This summer, Coca-Cola swapped out its iconic logo on the 20-oz. bottle of Coke for the 250 most popular names among American teens and millennials as part of its wildly successful “Share a Coke” campaign. Thompson played a dual role in its success, working to anticipate and combat potential backlash while engaging traditional media, celebrities, Coca-Cola partners, notable brand fans and social media influencers to create buzz. This resulted in overwhelmingly positive coverage and consumer engagement, more than 250 million impressions and a campaign that boosted the company’s sales volume for the first time in over a decade.