You have to admire any voice calling for a new normal even if that voice comes from a company which has played a role in making the normal that Covid interrupted unhealthy. Coca-Cola and 72andSunny Amsterdam have teamed up with George The Poet to create a truly inspiring manifesto for the future. Even more inspiring, Coca-Cola is a brand with power, a brand people listen to. The manifesto was written by George The Poet for the campaign.
Open Like Never Before is Coca-Cola’s first campaign in EMEA after it temporarily suspended all planned marketing activity in April due to Covid-19, using its resources instead to support its retail partners and communities. Together with its bottling partners and The Coca-Cola Foundation, Coca-Cola pledged to donate more than US$100m globally to organisations leading local relief efforts.
It is a tad annoying that this beautiful idea of what tomorrow might be appears at the same time as the company announces its plans to launch a hard seltzer (alcoholic) version of its Topo Chico sparkling water in the US next year. The Coca-Cola Company is not one to miss out on a trend, healthy or questionable, or a new market (whether third world countries need Coca-Cola in their lives or not).
Walter Susini, SVP of marketing EMEA for Coca-Cola, stated, “Open Like Never Before is founded in the belief that we do not have to go ‘back’ to normal. Instead, we can all move forward and make the world not just different, but better. It supports and celebrates our retail partners too, including local hotels, cafes and restaurants, many of whom will be reopening their doors to communities after a very challenging time for the industry, but who have always been at the heart of our social fabric.”
“We wanted to offer a different, positive look at what life could look like in this new normal we’re heading to,” noted Laura Visco, deputy executive creative director, 72andSunny Amsterdam. “The beauty of these uncertain times is that, for the first time ever in modern life, we all get to decide how ‘normal’ looks, and what we want it to be, for the first time ever. And that’s really exciting.”
“The idea of openness in these times carried such courage and optimism that we immediately felt it was something Coke could truly own. To appreciate everything that matters, like never before,” added Emiliano Trieveiler, creative director, 72andSunny Amsterdam.
The manifesto will be followed by a programme of activities throughout 2020 and into 2021. Many of these will focus on supporting local hotels, cafes and restaurants.
The broader Open Like Never Before campaign (#OpenLikeNeverBefore) will also invite the public to participate, asking people to tell each other and the world what they want to be different, and how they pledge to be open like never before.
Credits
Advertising Agency: 72andSunny Amsterdam
Executive Creative Director: Carlo Cavallone
Deputy Executive Creative Director: Laura Visco
Creative Director: Emiliano Trierveiler
Designers: Renee Lam & Masaya Kochi
Copywriter: Constanze Bilogan
Director of Strategy: Sarah Sutton
Strategy Director: Armando Potter
Comms Strategist: Charlotte Rubesa
Business Affairs Director: Selam Kehishen
Account Management: Rob Conibear, Angelina Joy, Marie Henaff & Mauro Sala
Executive Film Producer: Jennifer Cursio
Senior Film Producer: Eline Bakker
Senior Producer: Nili Zadok
Production Company: New-Land London
Directors: Gustav Johansson, Indra Herö Wide & Marcus Ibanez
Directors of Photography: Martin Rudh, Steve Annis & Jamie Ramsay
Producers: Trine Pillay & Mia Tidlund
Production Manager: Christabelle Stone
Editing Company: Cabin Editing Company
Editors: Sam Ostrove & Emma Backman
Audio Post: Wave Studios London
Sound Designe & Mixer: Ed Downham & Parv Thind
Post Production: Glassworks Amsterdam
Colourist: Scott Harris
VFX Producer: Jamie Mccubbin
Music Company: The SMC Group
