Coca-Cola today (29) unveiled a new global brand philosophy and platform called Real Magic, which invites everyone to celebrate the "real magic of humanity".
The platform refreshes the brand’s trademark promise – to unite and uplift people every day – with renewed relevance. The new platform is built from lessons of the last 18 months: that we can find magic all around us when we come together in unexpected moments that elevate the everyday into the extraordinary. It also acknowledges the many contradictions experienced as new generations find harmony and human connection in a virtual and divided world.
“Coca-Cola is a brand defined by dichotomies: humble but iconic, authentic yet secret, real yet magical,” said Manolo Arroyo, Chief Marketing Officer. “The Real Magic philosophy is rooted in the belief that dichotomies can make the world a more interesting place – a world of extraordinary people, unexpected opportunities and wonderful moments. At the same time, it captures the essence of Coca-Cola itself: a real taste that is indescribable, unique, a touch of real magic.”
Real Magic marks the first new global brand platform for Coca-Cola since 2016 and is being launched alongside a refreshed visual identity for Coca-Cola, as well as a new perspective on the Coca-Cola logo that will feature across Coca-Cola marketing. Inspired by its representation on its iconic packaging, the “Hug” logo lifts the curved Coca-Cola trademark on bottle and can labels to provide a visual signature that will embrace and frame moments of magic across brand communications.
Coca-Cola is collaborating with artists, photographers and illustrators to bring the concept of Real Magic to life through the embrace of the Hug logo.
“Real Magic is not simply a tagline or a one-off campaign: It is a long-term brand philosophy and belief that will drive and guide marketing and communications across the Coca-Cola Trademark,” Arroyo said.
Real Magic launches with a new campaign called “One Coke Away From Each Other.” Blending real and virtual worlds, it is a metaphor emphasising what unites us is greater than what sets us apart. The film, which launched digitally on September 27th, asks what if Coca-Cola, as a symbol of togetherness, could bridge universes meant to be apart to create Real Magic. The film also features three well-known gamers – DJ Alan Walker, Team Liquid’s Aerial Powers and Average Jonas.
The campaign also features social and digital executions, as well as out of home. In select markets, Coca-Cola is running a code hunt beginning Oct. 11 where people can win prizes, including gameplay sessions with celebrity gamers. There are 25 codes hidden within the film. Through collaboration with the Brand Partnership Studio at Twitch, the interactive livestreaming service, gaming creators on Twitch will unlock another 10 codes with their viewers, during livestreams on their Twitch channels. As a part of the campaign, Coca-Cola will award prizes to consumers who find and enter the hidden codes on a Coca-Cola micro-site, in participating countries. Winners have the chance to receive their share of one of the largest ever prize pools of Bits, a virtual good used to show support for Twitch streamers, as a part of the sweepstakes administered by Coca-Cola.
Half (50 per cent) of UK farmers have reconsidered their future in the sector due to a rise in financial pressures in the last year, states a recent report.
According to a survey of arable farming decision makers commissioned by McCain, rising energy (35 per cent) and fertiliser costs (32 per cent), as well as environmental threats (36 per cent), are having the biggest pressure on farmers’ finances.
Financial pressures are not only affecting farm operations but are also the primary factor (55 per cent) straining farmers’ mental health.
In an effort to support its 250-strong network of farmers, McCain, the UK’s largest manufacturer of frozen potato products, has launched a new ongoing package of support for its growers, equating to an additional £30 million investment over the next three years.
As the largest purchaser of the UK potato crop, McCain is committed to supporting its growers to help ensure the long-term sustainability and resilience of British agriculture, which is vital to the country’s food security.
This package sits alongside existing measures, which includes working together with growers as they transition to regenerative agriculture practices and ensuring fair prices for their potatoes.
The initiatives undertaken by McCain includes:
Adjusting the price per tonne paid for potatoes to reflect the increasing risk of yield variation
Access to strategic capital support, providing farmers with a direct cash injection covering up to 33% of their total investment into assets such irrigation infrastructure and storage
Setting out a 20% advanced payment of contract value to help with cashflow and support the increased negative working capital farmers are facing.
James Young, vice president, agriculture at McCain Foods GB, said, “British potato farmers are facing a myriad of unprecedented challenges from rising input costs to extreme weather events.
"At McCain, we pride ourselves on the strong partnerships we have built with our 250 growers and are committed to supporting them.
"We believe this package bolsters our ongoing collaboration with growers to help ensure the long-term sustainability of British agriculture.”
McCain is also working with growers to navigate the extreme weather patterns, such as heavy rainfall, flooding and unseasonably mild temperatures, that are placing additional strain on farmers’ finances.
Together with its growers, McCain is committed to implementing regenerative agricultural practices across 100 per cent of its global potato acreage by the end of 2030.
Over two thirds (68 per cent) of farmers claim the impacts of climate change have made arable farming less viable, with 57 per cent stating it has significantly impacted yields as well as increased costs due to additional irrigation and drainage (38 per cent).
As climate change impacts present day practices, 87 per cent of farmers agree there is a need to transition to more planet-friendly practices to ensure the viability of farming for years to come1.
Over half (53 per cent) have invested in sustainable practices on their farm in the last five years.
Sam Daw, a grower for McCain Food GB, said, “Our partnership with McCain is a core part of our business. It has had a clear and positive impact on direction, investment and positivity across our farming enterprises. The new package has rejuvenated confidence in the sector, reshaped our cashflow and allowed for investment and growth planning.
“The commitment to regenerative agriculture complements our other farming enterprises. Incorporating manures from our livestock, keeping green cover over fields for longer with cover crops and utilising reduced soil movement cultivation equipment across a wider range of crops.
“The farm’s relationship with McCain is so much more than a potato crop. It’s confidence, resilience and growth.”
To support its farmers on this transition, McCain is testing regenerative agriculture practices and trialing new technology at its Farms of the Future projects, located in McCain’s hometown of Florenceville, New Brunswick, and in South Africa.
This is supported in the UK by three demonstration farms across the country, where growers are invited to see the results firsthand.
Post Office Horizon scandal victims have slammed Post Office for paying "£40 million" to extend its contract with Fujitsu to continue using the controversial Horizon IT software, as revealed in a recent report.
At least 900 subpostmasters and subpostmistresses were wrongly prosecuted for apparent financial shortfalls caused by faults in the accounting software, in what has been described as one of the UK’s biggest miscarriages of justice.
Despite that, data revealed by inews shows the Post Office has renewed its contract with Fujitsu to continue using Horizon until March 2026 at a cost of £40.8m.
The Post Office previously said it planned to replace Horizon with “new branch technology” but would maintain the old IT software until the new technology is developed.
Christopher Head OBE, a former sub postmaster, was sued by the Post Office in the civil courts for more than £80,000 that was supposedly missing from his branch. He has not yet been compensated.
Responding to Fujitsu’s new contract, he added, “We understand that in order to transition to a new system you have to maintain the old one until you get to the point that you are satisfied.
"In this circumstance, with the Post Office, you’d be more cautious given what’s happened with the previous system.”
Janet Skinner, aformer subpostmistress from Hull, was handed a nine-month sentence for theft in 2007 after £59,000 appeared to be missing from her Post Office branch.
She served three months of that sentence before being released with an electronic tag but was hospitalised in 2008 with a stress-related illness.
Commenting on the extension of Fujitsu’s contract, Skinner told inews, “It’s an insult. It’s like they are rewarding them for their bad behaviour.
“There needs to be accountability and accountability is not awarding contracts to a company that has been at the forefront of this scandal.
“It just infuriates me. Absolutely infuriates me. God knows what the other postmasters are feeling. It’s just like being kicked in the teeth.”
A spokesperson for the Post Office said that, while it is too early to speculate about when Horizon will be replaced, it is “committed to delivering a lower-risk, better-value new branch IT for postmasters”.
A Fujitsu spokesperson said, “We are focused on supporting the Post Office in their plans for a new service delivery model, so branches can continue to deliver key services to the public.”
Extreme weather events are expected to lead to volatile food prices throughout 2025, supply chain analysts have warned, after cocoa and coffee prices more than doubled over the past year.
According to a recent research by the consultancy Inverto, steep rises are observed in the prices of a number of food commodities in the year to January that correlated with unexpected weather.
The highest price rises were for cocoa and coffee, up 163 per cent and 103 per cent respectively, due to a combination of higher than average rainfall and temperatures in producing regions.
Sunflower oil prices increased by 56 per cent after drought caused poor crop yields in Bulgaria and Ukraine, which also continued to be affected by the Russian invasion.
Other food commodities with sharp year-on-year price rises included orange juice and butter, both up by more than a third, and beef, up by just over a quarter.
“Food manufacturers and retailers should diversify their supply chains and sourcing strategies to reduce over-reliance on any one region affected by crop failures,” Katharina Erfort, of Inverto, said.
Climate scientists said Inverto’s findings were in line with their expectations.
“Extreme weather events around the globe will continue to increase in severity and frequency in line with the ongoing rise in global temperature,” said Pete Falloon, a food security expert at the Met Office and University of Bristol.
“Crops are often vulnerable to extreme weather, and we can expect to witness ongoing shocks to global agricultural production and supply chains, which ultimately feed into food security concerns.”
The research findings come close on the heels of a report by National Preparedness Commission (NPC), stating that UK food supply chains face severe risks from climate change, trade barriers and global instability.
NPC warned that the country is not prepared for the scale of risks now facing its food supply. From climate change and geopolitical tensions to economic shocks and trade barriers, these challenges are making the current system unsustainable.
The NPC report calls for legislative action, suggesting that food security should be a significant legal mandate, akin to national security or energy.
A proposed Food Security and Resilience Act could possibly enshrine food security into law, recognising it as a critical element of the UK’s national infrastructure.
The report recommends a comprehensive overhaul, urging the establishment of a National Food Security Council.
Keep ReadingShow less
Nisa appoints ex-Morrisons Convenience Expert as Delivery Lead
Nisa has appointed convenience expert, Brogan Cook as the group's Delivery Lead. She will spearhead the implementation and mobilisation of corporate customer projects, for the wholesale arm of Co-op.
Sitting as part of Katie Secretan’s Retail and Sales leadership team, Brogan brings over a decade of experience in retail leadership and will be instrumental in the delivery of new accounts into Nisa, as the business looks to propel its growth and expansion into new markets.
Most recently, holding the role as Head of Convenience Projects at Morrisons, Brogan was responsible for the transformation and delivery of the strategic wholesale programme which saw her develop and implement new business routes for growth.
Prior to that, she held positions such as wholesale senior operations manager, where she oversaw the programme management of the franchise plan, as well as led new store acquisitions.
Katie Secretan, Director of Sales and Retail, said, “We’re at a pivotal moment for our Coop’s wholesale business, with ambitious growth targets in place, and Brogan’s proven track record in convenience and franchise operations, as well as her strategic leadership will be invaluable as we continue to deliver growth with our partners."
Brogan's appointment reflects Nisa's continued focus on bringing the best of Co-op to trusted partners, and her extensive background in retail programme management makes her wellplaced to lead Nisa’s delivery plans and ensure successful execution across multiple sites.
Brogan Cook said, "I'm excited to be joining Nisa as Delivery Lead during such a dynamic period for the business. I look forward to applying my experience to lead the delivery of new business within the convenience channel, ensuring we deliver a best-in-class service for our retail partners across the UK."
Brogan, who started in role at the beginning of February, joins a recently strengthened Sales and Retail leadership team, including Taranjit Singh Dhillon as Head of Retail, Ian King as Head of Business Development, Lauren Brogden as Head of Sales Engagement, Paul Webster as Head of Partnerships.
The firm also saw the internal promotion of Joy McAleese to Head of Wholesale.
Hancocks, the UKs leading confectionery wholesaler, has announced its first in-store and online Sweetest Day event for 2025.
The events, which have been running for three years, offer depot and online customers outstanding one day deals and a chance to find out about the newest product launches.
The first event for 2025 will be taking place on March 6 from 8am to 8pm at all the 14 depots dotted across the UK, with deals available both in-store and online.
Sponsored by Nestle, the one day extravaganza will include incredible deals on big name brands including Haribo, Swizzels and Cadbury.
Independent and convenience retailers looking to stock up on Haribo can make savings of £2.30 on popular PMP bags. They’ll also receive a free stand if they buy 18 cases of £1.25 PMP products.
Retailers stocking Kingsway Pick and Mix can take advantage of a great double deal. Buying 10+ bags will give a saving of 40p per bag. Doubling that to 20+ bags will equal a saving of £1 per bag.
There are big deals to be had on Hancocks’ popular novelty confectionery, with £2 off a number of Crazy Candy Factory lines.
Other major brands with good deals for retailers include Chewits, Toxic Waste, Chupa Chups, Pez, Candy Realms and Warheads.
In selected stores, customers will have the opportunity to meet brand representatives from Haribo, Perfetti, Swizzels and more.
There will also be the chance to sample recently launched products including Sweet Vibes Mallow Dunkz and the new Bonds Trail Mix which comes in three tasty flavour combinations.
Stores will be open from 8am to 8pm with offers, giveaways, samples and the chance to find out more about current and new and exciting confectionery products. The same deals with run during the same period on the website.
Kathryn Hague, Head of Marketing at Hancocks said, “Our Sweetest Day events are a big hit with customers who are able to take advantage of some great deals, sample some exciting new products and speak to brand representatives.
“This is our first Sweetest Day event of the year and we’re encouraging customers to get down to the store and take advantage of everything we’re offering. There will be four more events throughout the year.
“As well as stocking up on product, it’s also a chance to find out about new launches and try them, pick up tips on merchandising to maximise sales and see the breadth of the offering here at Hancocks.
“The deals are truly too good to be missed, across a range of pick and mix, novelty and impulse must-haves so we’re hoping to see lots of familiar and new faces to take advantage of everything we’re offering.”
Hancocks is the UKs leading confectionery wholesaler with 14 nationwide cash and carry stores and an online channel www.hancocks.co.uk. Customers can shop online 24/7 with delivery to the door or click and collect options.
Hancocks is the one stop shop for confectionery for over 25,000 independent retailers and is part of the World of Sweets group.