Coca-Cola Blurs Out Sponsors On Its New CokeTV YouTube Channel

Coke launched its own YouTube channel in the U.K. but has "confused a few viewers by blurring out other brands that pop up organically within its videos," according to Shona Ghosh of CAMPAIGN LIVE. Called CokeTV, the new channel is fronted by Emmanuel "Manny" Brown and Dodie Clark and "is intended to appeal to a youth audience." The pair will host weekly episodes on gaming, sport and music in a magazine show-style format that Coke claims will "reflect the passions and interests of young people" in the U.K. But unlike games hosted on Manny's own YouTube channel, sponsor logos "which crop up on-screen during the game are blurred out." A spokesperson for Coke explained the soft drinks company "would need to ask express permission from the brand owners even to feature their logos in situ." CokeTV "is Coca-Cola Great Britain's first attempt at branded content and is based on CokeTV Germany, which launched in 2014 and has garnered around 275,000 subscribers" (CAMPAIGN LIVE, 7/4).