Realme just launched Realme 10 Pro 5G Coca Cola edition. This special edition has refreshed the industry, just like a can of coke refreshingly quenches the thirst of billions globally. Special editions aren’t something new to the smartphone industry. There have been special editions in the past as well. Several smartphone brands have been introducing special editions in collaboration with stalwart brands. Be it Marvel Edition, McLaren Edition of smartphones where the intent was to trigger a particular attribute in the minds of consumers or deeper brand integrations with the likes of Zeiss, Leica, Hasselblad, Dolby, Harman, Gorilla, etc., where a particular specification was highlighted to position it having the expertise integrated with a key specification like camera. The smartphone industry has leveraged the brand reputation of ecosystem partners so well including that of processor makers like Qualcomm and MediaTek.
However, all these integrations have come at a premium. The special editions of smartphones have always been costlier than their base versions. Also, most of these special editions or collector’s editions have been in the premium segments. That would make a consumer think twice whether the special edition is worth the price besides keeping such editions out of bounds from mass smartphone consumers.
The Coca Cola Edition of Realme 10 Pro 5G is different in three ways which makes it special and different than what others have done in the industry so far. Firstly, the price is just Rs 1,000 more than the Realme 10 Pro 5G smartphone of 8GB/128GB variant, which is the right equivalent of the coca cola edition. So, by just paying an additional amount of Rs 1,000, enthusiast can buy a special edition smartphone. The second important difference is that the smartphone is selling at Rs 20,999, which is a mid-segment smartphone. In case of 5G smartphones, the price point can be considered just at a mass segment level. This makes owning a special edition smartphone possible for the mass segment of users.
The third and important aspect of this special edition is more from a business perspective. Realme, which has been seeing some push back in recent times from the consumers as well as the retailer community, has piggy banked on one of the most valued brands globally. As per the Forbes’ World’s Best Valuable Brands for 2022, Coca Cola ranks 6th, 1st among non-technology brands. Coca Cola is not only among the topmost valuable brands, but perhaps one of the most used and recognised brands worldwide across segments, including the mass markets. This is a strong association Realme has cracked with a brand like Coca Cola.
The Coca Cola edition of Realme 10 Pro 5G should set the trend of owning the special editions or collector’s edition smartphones in mass segments. I expect few more brands to forge similar associations soon. At a time, when the innovation is paused in the smartphone industry, and 5G the only anchor to drive sales, the market needs a refreshing look, and what better than Coca Cola to bring that. This should also help Realme to apply some breaks to the reverse gear that has already started for the brand where we are expecting it to face some strong market crosswinds in 2023. But this cannot be the alone thing to help it grow. It will momentarily allow the brand to trigger a refreshed image in the consumer’s mind.
