Coca-Cola knows that sometimes life straight up sucks. But Coca-Cola also wants you to realize that you, sir, are not the only one with problems.
This new spot from Wieden + Kennedy, which broke on the Oscars, encourages people to put their own misfortunes in perspective and think of others every once in a while. It's Coke's latest attempt to spread happiness around the world. And while some of its recent efforts have fared better than others, this commercial holds up pretty well.
It opens in a sleepy beach town on a picturesque boardwalk, where all seems well. But things quickly go downhill—from bad to worse to downright horrendous in 60 swift seconds.
Take a look:
A rocker's guitar string breaks and it's lousy, but that's not as bad as the lifeguard whose lookout post goes down in flames. Just as each person is about to enjoy a refreshing sip of Coke, they see something worse happen to someone else—and share their Coke with them to ease the pain.
The broadcast ad had a cliffhanger ending—it was unclear who would get the Coke next. Coke extended the happiness to fans on Twitter by asking fans to channel their inner screenwriter and guess who, or what, would appear in the final frames. And it goes some serious, and not-so-serious, responses:
@CocaCola#AndTheCokeGoesTo#Birdman
— Debbie De La Rosa (@debbiescott24) February 23, 2015@CocaCola#AndTheCokeGoesTo John C Riley, who bursts from the sand as a zombie yelling "I'm alive. I'm alive." From the movie step brothers
— Tyler Mezzanares (@mezzy117) February 23, 2015@CocaCola#AndTheCokeGoesTo Well, isn't it obvious? ET!
— WhtRabbitsDrkSister (@JennReveles) February 23, 2015
Finally, Coke revealed the big mystery with a new edit of the spot on Twitter and Facebook:
Thanks to all the screen-writers and guessers out there. Ready to see who gets the Coke next? #AndTheCokeGoesTo... https://t.co/TQa3pKOodQ
— Coca-Cola (@CocaCola) February 23, 2015
The ad is cartoony and fun, if a bit repetitive. And it does put things into perspective for you. Just when you think your own life is in utter shambles, there's someone else out there who has it worse, and could use a Coke a lot more than you.
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CREDITS
Client: The Coca-Cola Company
Spot: "Generous World"
Agency: Wieden + Kennedy, Portland, Ore.
Creative Directors: Hal Curtis / Jeff Gillette / Antony Goldstein
Copywriter: Neil Ramanan
Art Director: Gianmaria Schonlieb
Producer: Jennifer Hundis
Account Team: Brian Mead
Business Affaires: Teresa Lutz
Executive Creative Directors: Joe Staples / Mark Fizloff
Head of Production: Ben Grylewicz
Production Company: MJZ
Director: Dante Ariola
Head of Production: Scott Howard
Line Producer: Natalie Hill
Director of Photography: Philippe Le Sound
Editorial Company: Rock Paper Scissors
Editor: Adam Pertofsky
Assistant Editor: Marjorie Sacks
Post Producer: Shada Shariatzadeh
Post Executive Producer: Angela Dorian
Final Online & Effects: The Mill, Chris Harlow
Color Correction : Company 3, Stefan Sonnenfield
Music Company: We Are Walker
Executive Producer : Sara Matarazzo
Audio Post and Sound Design Company: Eleven Sound, Jeff Payne