MEXICO CITY — True Friendship (#VerdaderoAmigo) is Coca-Cola’s newest campaign from Latin America inspiring the choices that activate unity, teamwork and happiness in young people by driving the message to choose to live #TrueFriendship. A true friend is the most valuable commodity available in a time where harsh words and actions are easily heard and nearly inescapable. Coca-Cola is seeking to enable the true connections that shape the way we are in its new campaign.
Digital and content will be at the core of the campaign created by Pereira & O’Dell. Elements include web films, social activation, mobile, print, TV, radio, packaging and OOH.
As a longtime proponent of adapting the message to the medium, Coca-Cola launches innovative ads with positive viewpoints through different stages in order to directly engage with the public. Today, Teens live interaction through technology and social relationships may fall into cruelty, feelings of loneliness and isolation. As a response, Coca-Cola believes shared moments can offer a sense of identity and belonging, which is why Teens mirrors real-life moments in which kind acts of friendship pave a path to happiness.
As such, the campaign will provide multiple outlets and digital opportunities that invite teens to connect with friends through refreshing and unique experiences that includes:
• Web Films These three poignant web films focus on empathetic “crossroads moments” where true friends become heroes. The films titled “The Text”, “The Rumor”, and “Something Unexpected” each address the gossip, secrets and isolation caused by cruelty.
• Icon In a visual representation, Coca-Cola has transformed its iconic ribbon to form two hands in a fist bump. The universal symbol of friendship.
• Social Activation with the hashtag #VerdaderoAmigo (or #TrueFriend), anyone can spread the word and celebrate a true friend by mimicking Coca-Cola’s fist bump ribbon, creating complex handshakes, sharing funny crossroads vines, or posting Instagram photos with their true friend.
• Music One Direction’s “Clouds” from their fourth album will be the featured theme music throughout the “True Friendship” campaign. The band will also appear in print and vines. As the band themselves experience a tricky transition evolving from boys to men, it is a transition that they have successfully navigated.
• Documentaries Coca-Cola will work with MTV to feature several short documentaries of digital influencers who will share stories about meeting their closest friends, their crossroads moments and the outcomes of their life choices.
• Merchandising Additionally, giveaways and merchandising will include cell phone cases featuring the fist bump ribbon, an ear bud splitter so you can share your music, as well as a device that allows you to share your mobile phone battery with a friend who is running low.
• TV Coca-Cola will release a TV spot called “Voice Crack” that tells the story of a teen that comes to the aid of his friend when a talent show performance goes wrong.
• Package Design The iconic fist bump ribbon will also appear in-stores on Coca-Cola bottles and cans.
• Professional Athletes The campaign will feature vines, print and a choose-your-own-adventure style interactive video staring some of the world’s premiere futbol players like Javier ‘Chicharito’ Hernández, Raúl Jimenez.
“Since we identified the moments Teens use to connect emotionally, this campaign is the digital tool we need to reach them, and we want to use it to celebrate them and show them that happiness is also a choice. When we chose unity, teamwork and being kind to others, Teens can produce significant positive changes,” said José Luis Basauri, Brand Director for Coca-Cola Mexico.
“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,” said PJ Pereira, Chief Creative Officer and Co-Founder 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 musical theme for the project is Clouds by the band, One Direction, who will also be featured in the global campaign and who’s music we will use in a variety of digital applications. In Mexico, the music for this project will be provided by pop group CD9. Given that happiness and friendship through Teens are choices people make, we will invite the public to participate and reward them for their participation. We will launch the #Teens hashtag and offer activations available to the public.
