In this special online edition of Creative Choice, The Hallway creative partner Simon Lee and Colman Rasic executive creative director Dejan Rasic take a look at the best Coke ads of all time.
"Holidays Are Coming"
LEE: Someone told me that we actually owe Santa Claus’ red and white outfit to a Coke ad - urban myth or true? Either way, I’m left slightly sickened by this “warm and fuzzy” Christmas ad and feeling the urge to moan about the over-commercialisation of Christmas.
RASIC: Coke could run a logo on screen for thirty seconds and it would probably work. This is pretty much what they have done in this old Christmas spot. A column of heavily branded Coca-Cola trucks drive to a small town. As they pass through, the town magically lights up with decorations. It’s dull, cheesy and I find the Christmas celebration angle disingenuous. Even for an ad.
"Happiness Machine"
LEE: I don’t say this very often, but I genuinely LOVE this piece of work. It’s the reaction of genuine surprise and joy that the “machine” provokes in the students that gets me. I really do wish I’d done this.
RASIC: This is a cool idea. Place special Coke vending machines at a college campus and dispense more than just a bottle of Coke. Film the whole thing and you’ve got a smart experiential idea and an entertaining bit of footage too. This whole ‘happiness’ strategy for Coke is very clever and I like how it has branched out as a campaign.
"Happiness Factory"
LEE: Not a big fan of the “Coke side of life” line, but the animation in this spot is sensational. A magical way to bring to life a simple but loveable concept.
RASIC: I remember this spot. It took Coke somewhere it has never been before. You want to spend time watching this... in detail. There is pure craft oozing through every second, characters with real personalities and a magical world that sucks you in. It’s beautiful to watch. It’s entertaining and it’s relevant to the brand. The agency succeeded in finding a way to push the Coke brand where it should be with this campaign.
"Hilltop"
LEE: It’s 1971. Woodstock has been and gone – the summer of love is a distant LSD (and STD) hangover, but Coke, god bless em, they’re teaching the world to sing... As David Stratton said about the thoroughly depressing movie that is Samson and Delilah: “such optimism!”
RASIC: This is now regarded as one of the all time greatest spots for Coke. And with good reason. Sure it might look and sound super cheesy these days, but what started as a simple jingle back in 1971 went on to become a #1 music track in the UK and #7 in the US. it reached #13 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #5 on Billboard's Easy Listening chart. Think of all the media and PR generated for Coke. Not bad at all.
"Northern Lights"
LEE: It’s not quite so cold up there these days, is it bears? Drink, drink, before the ice melts.
RASIC: This is another Coke ad I remember. The animation might look dated now but back in 1993, it was craft heaven. A bunch of polar bears gather to watch the aurora borealis. They then take a sip of Coke. End of commercial. It’s simple. And the bear became an extension of the brand too.
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