What an energizing session in my Influencer Marketing class at LUMS with Maeen Zafar, Senior Director of Marketing at The Coca-Cola Company, who joined our final-year MBA students to share how one of the world’s most iconic brands continues to stay relevant to Gen Z.

Maeen took us behind the thinking of Coke Studio and its new Gen Z chapter, Coke Studio Nu.WAV, demonstrating how brands can co-create with young artists and empower creators to carry ideas authentically into culture.

One powerful message stood out. Modern marketing must deliver on three fronts at the same time by building brand loyalty, driving business growth, and creating meaningful behavioural impact.

LUMS alumna Syeda Sherbano, Marketing Manager, then shared the Sprite case built around a wonderfully simple cultural truth that Pakistan loves its spicy food. The idea of Stay Spicy with Sprite demonstrates how a strong consumer insight can evolve into a powerful brand ritual and create a year-round consumption occasion.

The session reinforced several important lessons for our students, including the value of co-creation over broadcasting, music as a platform for long-term brand loyalty, the power of cultural truths, the importance of combining global platforms with local relevance, and treating influencers as genuine creative partners rather than simply another media channel.

Thank you, Maeen, Sherbano, and the Coca-Cola team for sharing your time, experience, and real-world case studies with our students. Sessions like these bridge the gap between classroom learning and industry practice while preparing the next generation of marketing leaders.