Coca-Cola's José vs. Mourinho Series Uses AI to Deliver Real-Time World Cup Insights

The Coca-Cola Company partnered with Footballco and GRAiL to create a unique content series called José vs. Mourinho, which features a virtual replica of former football manager José Mourinho. The project uses AI technology to deliver fresh perspectives on the FIFA World Cup every day throughout the tournament.

Coca-Cola's vice president of global sport, entertainment marketing and partnerships, Mickael Vinet, stated that 'Coca-Cola has always been about the fans,' and the FIFA World Cup is the ultimate stage. He emphasized that being a football fan means experiencing an emotional rollercoaster, which José Mourinho embodies with his intense personality and sense of humor.

To achieve the project's goal of delivering content within 24 hours, the team created a 'cultural engine room' consisting of writers, social-native speakers, and approvers from Footballco, GRAiL, and Mourinho's inner circle. The tone of voice was critical to get right, and the process involved drafting copy while games were running to file on the final whistle.

The team also worked with José Mourinho to capture new audio and video to inform the technology and ensure it accurately represented his voice, image, and personality. A guide called 'The Mourinho Playbook' was created to help writers understand his tone of voice, cadence, tropes, memes, catchphrases, and more.