The machine behind the halo: Coke’s increased involvement should be good news for Innocent.

Coca Cola are one of –if not the- most successful brands stories ever.  So what is their plan for one of the most recent UK brand success of the last 10 years – Innocent?

Iv’e always admired Innocent, they built a very successful brand with clear positioning even if their corporate cuteness has always been a means to end.

In April Coke significantly increased their stake in the business with a majority shareholding but unusually without operational control (for now).

Coke’s involvement with the dippy, wholesome, independent Innocent brand angered many of their hardcore advocates.  The usual ‘selling out’ stories appeared; counter argued by that in fact innocent were ‘selling in’ their ethical values (hmmm) but whilst compromised, Innocent’s brand is certainly strong enough to survive the backlash and over time its unlikely that anyone will really care.

Coke certainly helped the smoothie giants expand into European shores; an expensive business as their UK category dominance is nowhere near as prevalent in foreign fields but the full story of this relationship will be a brand one, not an operational one.

Keeping line extension in check

Coke’s portfolio includes more than 3,300 drinks but they’re notoriously narrow with their brand thinking so their effect on Innocent’s long term brand strategy will be interesting.  Innocent have talked a lot in the press about ‘expanding their business’ but moving the brand into ‘veg pots’ in late 2008 marked the first real step in potential line extension which would almost certainly jar with Coke’s narrow approach to branding.

Continued line extension will without question, threaten their UK category dominance in the long term as it will undermine their power in their core smoothie market and I’d be shocked if Coke would support this.   Unless of course they’re after a quick buck but this isn’t really their style.

So whilst Innocent have been hammered over jumping into bed with one of the biggest corporates in the world, the long term is likely to look very good for them in the UK and beyond if Coke can help to keep any line extension in check and their brand focus clear.

If Innocent continue to extend their brand over the coming years I’d be worried that one of the most focused, clear and clever brands in recent memory will lose their category leadership and follow so many line extended brands into relative irrelevance.