Coke’s Summer Olympics campaign celebrates unifying power of hugs

A new commercial and can designs that encourage people to embrace, even in rivalry, arrive at a particularly tense global political moment.

(From left) Swimmers Lilly King, Annie Lazor, Tatjana Schoenmaker and Kaylene Corbett embrace in a new ad from Coca-Cola.
The soft drink brand’s Summer Olympics campaign emphasizes unity during a fragile moment. Courtesy of Coca-Cola

Dive Brief:

• Coca-Cola debuted its Summer Olympics campaign with a theme around hugs, a gesture the soft drink brand described as a universal sign of acceptance and inclusion, according to a press release. 
• The lead spot for “It’s Magic When the World Comes Together” shows swimmers Lilly King, Kaylene Corbett, Annie Lazor and Tatjana Schoenmaker embracing, a nod to a moment at the last summer games. Casual viewers take a cue from the athletes and begin hugging people around them as the commercial continues.  
• Limited-time Olympics packaging displays illustrations of one half of a hug, creating a full embrace when two Coke cans are paired together. Out-of-home ads, social and digital content round out the effort that champions unity amid a time of heightened divisions.    

Dive Insight:

Coke’s latest Olympics campaign feels far removed from the past two games, when close physical contact was strongly discouraged amid the spread of COVID-19. The brand’s emphasis on inclusion, embodied through expressions of affection for sports rivals and strangers alike, comes at another fragile moment for society. 
France, the host for the games this year, just underwent a contentious snap election, as did the U.K. Other countries, including the U.S., are only just entering the thick of the political campaigning season, putting the public on edge. Creative concepts like Coke’s will test whether brands can ameliorate consumer anxiety as the world comes together in competition. Special-edition cans further push people to gather and share a drink and a hug.

The lead ad for “It’s Magic When the World Comes Together” takes inspiration from a heartwarming scene from the 2020 Summer Olympics, in Tokyo, which took place in 2021 due to pandemic-related delays. After South African swimmer Schoenmaker broke the 200-meter breaststroke world record, teammate Corbett and U.S. rivals King and Lazor rushed to congratulate her with a hug in a display of uplifting sportsmanship. Coke’s commercial recreates the moment in Paris, which sets off an infectious wave of hugs across the globe as spectators embrace fellow fans, friends and even strangers on the subway. 
The effort is part of Coke’s larger “Real Magic” brand platform that focuses on encouraging human connection. The soft drink company is an official Olympics and Paralympics sponsor.

Limited-time Olympics packaging displays illustrations of one half of a hug, creating a full embrace when two Coke cans are paired together. Courtesy of Coca-Cola
 
“Our differences are what make us unique, but when we come together, that’s when the ‘Real Magic’ happens,” said Islam ElDessouky, global head of content and creative strategy for Coca‑Cola, in a statement. “Sports rivals embrace differences as a mindset. Olympic athletes train hard for four years with the goal of winning the gold. So, when you see them hugging, it’s a truly powerful symbol of human connection.”
The Olympics campaign was developed over the course of 18 months with aid from WPP Open X, a bespoke unit supporting the brand. Additional elements include outdoor ads appearing in France that underscore the hugging motif, along with special packaging exclusive to the country that was designed in collaboration with French artists Laura Normand, Aurelia Durand and Bruno Mangyoku.

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