Coca-Cola Brings Back “Share a Coke” Campaign to Rwanda

By: Napoleon Mugenzi

“Share a Coke’ is back! Coca-Cola once again reinforces friendship and togetherness in a special way.”

Coca-Cola has reintroduced its “Share a Coke” campaign to the Rwandan market an initiative first launched in 2014, where people could find their names printed on Coca-Cola bottles instead of the company’s usual logo.

Guests at the event proudly display their Coca-Cola bottles printed with their names, celebrating friendship and togetherness in Kigali.

Now, the campaign returns in a fresh and modern way, aiming to help Coca-Cola lovers share moments with their friends and remember the good times they’ve had together.

It was unveiled to a diverse audience on the night of Friday, August 8, 2025, at a grand event held at Century Park in Nyarutarama, Kigali City.

The event was attended by notable personalities in the entertainment industry, including Nishimwe Naomie, Miss Rwanda 2020, along with her friends; and featured a live performance from singer Alyn Sano, who delighted the audience with many of her popular songs, including Chop Chop, her recent collaboration with Bensoul.

In an era where relationships and communication often take place online, 2023 research by Kantar showed that 72% of Generation Z want to be authentic and have genuine relationships with others. Through “Share a Coke,” Coca-Cola aims to help people express love and togetherness in a tangible way.

To launch the campaign in Rwanda, Coca-Cola, in partnership with Brasseries et Limonaderies du Rwanda (BRALIRWA), invited guests to the event, which left many going home with joy. Attendees received gifts, including Coca-Cola bottles with their names printed on them, T-shirts with their names, and other souvenirs.

Guests enjoyed the experience of sharing Coca-Cola bottles personalized with their own names or those of their friends, and took part in various entertainment activities.

Lieke Bouwhuis, Marketing Director at Bralirwa, explained that the “Share a Coke” campaign is about bringing people together from all walks of life — sharing a Coke with your own name on it, or choosing to share one with a friend whose name is on the bottle. She said:

“Today, we are putting strong focus on this campaign. Wherever you go, in supermarkets and other places , you will find ‘Share a Coke’ all across the country. That’s why I encourage everyone to take part.”

Bouwhuis thanked everyone who attended, the partners, Coca-Cola fans, traders, and the entire Coca-Cola and Bralirwa team for making the campaign possible. She added:

“Let’s continue to share, celebrate the good things, and build connections through Coca-Cola.”

Yayoro Karamoko, Senior Manager at Coca-Cola Africa, said it was his first time visiting Rwanda as he is based in Côte d’Ivoire. He expressed delight at the warm reception he received in “this beautiful country.” Speaking about the campaign, he said:

“This initiative of encouraging people to drink Coca-Cola bottles with their own names or their friends’ names is about joy, connection, and sharing. It’s a beautiful thing when people come together to share a Coca-Cola like we are doing today.”

He added that life is better when you share good moments with others:

“That’s why we are here — to celebrate those good moments. From printing your name on a Coca-Cola bottle to printing your friend’s name, it’s just the beginning.”

He also mentioned that while the campaign starts in Kigali, it will expand to other provinces, allowing everyone to enjoy the experience:

“We encourage everyone to share their good moments with friends through Coca-Cola, using social media to show their experiences.”

BRALIRWA CEO Ethel Emma-Uche said:

“We are happy to work with Coca-Cola to bring back ‘Share a Coke’ here in Rwanda. This demonstrates our commitment to giving Rwandans a unique and meaningful experience.”

Charli Azanfack Dongmo, Coca-Cola’s Head of Marketing for West, South, and East Africa, said: “In today’s digital era, it is important to celebrate human relationships and special bonds. ‘Share a Coke’ reminds us that