In global, iconic brands, great ideas don’t always take off—not because they’re bad, but because funding them in-flight can feel like rerouting a 747. We’ve all been there, right? Coca-Cola invited us to help change that: to enable smart, mid-year investments without the drag.
They already had a clear annual business planning cycle. What they didn’t have (yet) was a way to shift budgets mid-year that was consistent, fast enough, and easy to navigate.
In many markets, teams didn’t even realize additional funding was an option, so ideas got shelved before they had a chance. The route to approval wasn’t always clear, not at the speed needed, and often varied widely across regions.
What Was at Stake
This wasn’t about fixing spreadsheets. It was about unleashing momentum.
Without a fast, transparent way to move resources, promising ideas hit walls, teams got frustrated, and opportunities faded while competitors moved first.
What We Did
We built more than a platform. We built the operating model for agile funding at scale:
Launched a cross-functional budget management platform for in-year resource allocation
Brought strategy, design, and technology into parallel workflows, avoiding handoff delays
Did deep discovery across regions to build a globally aligned but locally adaptable solution
Designed for real users, validating the platform and process in-market to ensure adoption
Created the fix + flex model: 80% standardized, 20% flexible
Delivered three integrated solutions: an upgraded Investment Committee structure, a PowerApps tool, and a dynamic governance playbook
Outcomes
Clarity replaced complexity: a shared language and structure across markets Frustration turned into trust: teams finally understood how and where to move Reactive became strategic: the system could respond to business shifts in real time Future-ready: built to evolve as the business, and ambition, grows
This wasn’t just a tech implementation. It was a shift in how one of the world’s most beloved brands funds bold ideas, at the speed they deserve.
