#Travel: Anita Nderu heads to Vipingo to ‘Taste The Feeling’

By Anita Nderu

 

Right! So the past weekend was something else. I received an email asking if I would like to be whisked away to Vipingo, Kilifi for the launch of a well known brand’s change in campaign.

I don’t know about you but having spent ages under the scorching dry and unforgiving Nairobi heat with brief breaks in a sub-zero AC temperature newsroom, a swap for the humid coastal heat, bikinis, an all white party and the beach was really a prayer answered.

It was soon go time! As we boarded our chartered plane cameras seemed to appear from the woodworks! Suddenly we were reality show stars on a trip to showcase what this brand was trying to sell.

COKE INFRONT OF THE PLANE

An hour and a half later we landed at the luxurious Vipingo Ridge. We were greeted by beautiful women who guided us to our buses, who then whisked us off to the club house where more fanfare awaited.

The entrance was quite dramatic to say the least, you couldn’t help but let the party spirit take over you! Everything was happening so fast but you wanted to live through and experience everything not forgetting to capture everything! I was torn between what applications to use first to share this experience.

coke WHEN WE ARRIVED AT VIPINGO

So what brand is this (if you haven’t figured it out already) that would spend time and money to give Nairobi’s influential men and women the experience of a lifetime?

Whether you know them from their slogan Always Coca-cola, refresh yourself, the coke side of life, share a coke, be refreshed, Neodolatelná chu?, Coca-Cola to jest to, I’d Like To Buy The World A Coke, Vivi il lato Coca Cola della vita, Brrr… Hidup ala Coca-Cola, Thanda matalaba Coca-Cola, Sensación de vivir, As it should be or Open Happiness? You know them.

Very few brands have managed to stay relevant in the market as much as Coca Cola has, they just GET IT!

What is so admirable is they have never stopped making every new generation fall in love with them since 1886.

2016! Tonnes of slogans, ads and campaigns later you would think they would settle and let all their hard work pay off, they are already a household name right?

Think again. Fast forward to the all white dinner party all dressed-up and looking like a rather heavenly get together we were whisked away to the beach for dinner and entertainment.

Listen, I know you have seen laser lights at events in Kenya and thought “yaaaaaa!” No honey you missed a light show! 23-year-old Fabian Humphry lit it up!

coke DANCERS IN LASER LIGHTS OUTFITS

Obviously Cola Cola had to, around this point, introduce us to why we were all there.

We were welcomed in the most emotion invoking way to their new global slogan ‘Taste the feeling’.

We got a taste of what passion to connect with consumers is – a taste of a brand that understands its demographic, a taste of what a brand that believes in its product and is confident enough to put it out there for you to fall in love with is.

https://youtu.be/-AmKP9VE2Ms

Doesn’t it just aaaaaahhhh!! You’ll be singing along in no time!

Anyway back in Nairobi now *sob* I can think of no other brand that has managed to amuse me since I was a kid watching KBC and realizing Christmas is here whenever I saw the train roll down the tracks with a Santa reminding us that moments are made of Coca Cola, always Coca Cola.

Sponsored