Ad of the Day: Coke Embraces the Fist Bump and Gets Serious About True Friendship

Coca-Cola has embraced a useful visual shorthand for friendship—the fist bump—in its new marketing in Latin America. But that's just the beginning of a campaign that talks frankly to teens about stepping up for friends in difficult moments. The work, by Pereira & O'Dell, includes Web films, social activation, mobile, print, TV, radio, packaging and out-of-home. The fist bump is being employed most notably within Coke's iconic white ribbon on a red background—it will even be on the packaging, and on merchandise including T-shirts and iPhone cases. (This isn't the first reworking of the white ribbon—Ogilvy won a Grand Prix at Cannes in 2012 for its own version of it.) The broader Pereira & O'Dell campaign focuses on friendship by framing it against its opposite—the cruelty, loneliness and isolation that can be worse than ever nowadays because of cyberbullying. It's a theme Coke tried to tackle on the Super Bowl. But that work, with its grand visual metaphor for spreading good vibes online, felt a bit removed from the real social difficulties teens face. By contrast, this new work feels fresh and immediate. The campaign suggests that shared moments offer a sense of identity and belonging. And in three short Web films (two have been released so far), high schoolers step up for their friends at crucial times—when it's uncomfortable, and requires bravery, to do so. "The Rumor" is about a breakup and some scandalous gossip that ensues: "Something Unexpected" deals with dating and an embarrassing moment in class: "Coca-Cola is shedding light on what we're referring to as 'crossroad moments.' These are the times when friends can choose to step up for a friend in need selflessly," says P.J. Pereira, chief creative officer of Pereira & O'Dell. "We hope these scenarios inspire conversation among teens and put a spotlight on how we can choose not to be cruel to another human being, especially with words." The campaign calls for teens to show not just friendship but "true friendship." The hashtag is #VerdaderoAmigo. The insight is that a true friend is the most valuable commodity at a time when cruelty is everywhere. There is a TV spot as well, showing another moment of friendship in a time of crisis: [jwplayer Z6lDJDB8-1kT9Z8rj] The stories are well told and memorable, and feel like they might actually have an effect on behavior, even if the fist bumps and product integrations at the end of each spot feel a little shoehorned in and overly commercial. One Direction's "Clouds" is the featured theme music across the campaign. The band will also appear in Coke print ads and Vines. The brand is also working with MTV on short documentaries about digital influencers and their own crossroad moments. Finally, the campaign will also feature Vines, print and a choose-your-own-adventure interactive video staring soccer players such as Javier "Chicharito" Hernández and Raúl Jimenez. Print work and credits below: CREDITS Client: Coca-Cola Coca-Cola Latin America IMC Director LATAM: Marta Fontcuberta IMC Director: Ismael Pascual Content Excellence Director: Diego Bracamontes Coca–Cola IMC Sr. Manager: Eduardo Ruiz Coca–Cola IMC Manager: Layla del Razo Coca–Cola IMC Jr. Manager: Adriana Sahagun Coca-Cola Trademark Brand Director: José Luis Basauri Coca-Cola Brand Director: Unai Alvarez Coca-Cola Brand Manager: Valeria Lopez Coca-Cola Design Team Global Design Director: Rapha Abreu Vice President Design: James Sommerville Senior Global Design Director: Tom Farrell Global Design Project Manager: Craig Stroud Global Designer: Chrsitine M Lee Global Designer: Megan Libby Sr. Design Manager: Aidee Rodriguez Agency: Pereira & O'Dell Chief Creative Officer: P.J. Pereira Executive Creative Director: Jaime Robinson Creative Directors: Rob Lambrechts, Rafael Rizuto Senior Art Director: Luke Acret Senior Copywriter: Omid Amid Senior Designer: Moses Kelany Chief Strategy Officer: Ana Cortat Strategist: Sara Lezama Senior Film Producer: Victoria Whitlow Co-Director, Client Services: Henry Arlander Account Director: Mona Gonzalez Account Executive: Rose Valderrama Trailer, Interactive Editor: Collin Kriner Vice President, Distribution: Josh Brandau Project Manager: Lauren Parker Business Affairs Director: Russ Nadler VP Production: Jeff Ferro Sr. Production Designer: Aaron Rodriguez Visual Effects: Laundry! Editing: Umlaut Films Editor: Alex Rodríguez Poster Designer: Erik Buckham Illustrator, Retoucher: Adhemas Batista Theme Music: One Direction, "Clouds" Music Supervisor: Aminé Ramer Original Score Composer: Grayson Sanders for Music Dealers

Brand Marketing

Ad of the Day: Coke Embraces the Fist Bump and Gets Serious About True Friendship

Showing teens how not to be cruel at 'crossroads moments'

Tim Nudd

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Tim Nudd