When You’re Right, You’re Right.

And we’re right. About trend #10 from our 10 Trends for 2010, that is.

It’s as if Coca-Cola read our trend deck, fell in love with the notion of Delighting Consumers with Hidden Surprises, and came up with a guerilla campaign that fits the notion to a T. That notion, of course, warns of a consumer backlash to the manic, ecstatic, a-bit-too-exuberant “happiness” craze that emerged over the course of 2009. Yes, times are tough, and a bit of the bright side can be a relief from stressful circumstances. But, easy there marketers – getting carried away and claiming that some mundane product will deliver earth-shattering happiness just isn’t genuine, and consumers are skeptical. Yet, in a world where consumers can find anything they want, anywhere they want, anytime they want, delivering an unexpected moment of happiness is all the more resonant.

Which brings us back to Coke. In the video above, an innocuous-looking vending machine is installed on the campus of St. John’s University in Queens. The first user gets… a small surprise. Others notice, join in, and hijinks ensue. Great work on Coke’s part, delivering a steady stream of happy moments, and breeding a shared experience in the process.