Final answer:
Coca-Cola's engagement with focus groups in Europe and Asia to evaluate a new can design represents an effort to gather primary data, as it is firsthand information collected specifically for their research purpose.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Coca-Cola Company conducted focus groups in Europe and Asia to assess market acceptance of a new contoured aluminum soft drink can. This type of research is considered to be the collection of primary data because it involved gathering first-hand data that did not exist before.
Such data is directly collected from the source (in this case, potential consumers) and often includes methods like in-depth interviews, content analysis, and focus group discussions. Unlike secondary data, which is previously collected and published information used for research, primary data provides insights that are current, relevant, and specifically tailored to the research objectives at hand. In the context of the options provided, the correct answer is that the company was attempting to collect primary data (option 1).