Coca-Cola Set To Launch TV Ad Campaign Around Olympics

Watch Coca-Cola's "Unity" TV Spot

Coca-Cola this week "takes the wraps off the final phase of a 60-country global marketing blitz surrounding the Olympics, its largest ever around the games," according to Natalie Zmuda of AD AGE. Coca-Cola's TV campaign, themed "Live Olympic on the Coke Side of Life," highlights China, while a "packaging promotion brings aspects of Chinese culture to 150 countries -- a gamble, some might say, as critics around the world disparage China's track record on human rights and environmental issues." Coca-Cola, however, is "standing firm, saying it never considered adjusting or scaling back its program and is not concerned about negative consumer feedback." Coca-Cola as part of the campaign will debut "two flashy spots that prominently feature China and will air around the globe." In the "Unity" ad, which is set to begin airing in the U.S. this week, Rockets C Yao Ming and Cavaliers F LeBron James "show off cultural icons from their respective countries." Yao's include "dragons and traditional fans," while James "touts break dancing and cowboys." At the end of the "cultural face-off," both "look to trump each other by pulling out a Coke -- Mr. Yao's in Mandarin packaging and Mr. James' in English packaging." The second Coca-Cola commercial, titled "Bird's Nest Stadium," will air August 8, the day of the Opening Ceremony. In that spot, "animated birds fly around the world -- actual footage from different countries was shot -- snagging straws from unsuspecting people, often from their Coke bottles." Wieden & Kennedy, Portland, created "Unity," while Wieden & Kennedy, Amsterdam, created "Bird's Nest Stadium" (AD AGE, 7/14 issue).