In this nostalgic reflection, Lynne Deason, Head of Creative Excellence at Kantar, recalls the enduring magic of Coca-Cola’s iconic “I’d like to teach the world to sing” ad. More than just a catchy tune, it sparked a lifelong appreciation for the emotional power of advertising. Unlike most jingles that wear thin, this one remains a joyful part of her memory.

What’s your first advertising memory?...

It’s almost impossible to place early memories on some kind of timeline, but I think mine would be Coca-Cola’s ‘I’d like to teach the world to sing…. it’s the real thing…’. The song – the lyrics and the melody – and key images from the ad are burned hard into my memory. Unlike Riley, who in Inside Out who gets annoyed when the ear worm from the Triple Dent Gum commercial goes round and round in her brain, this is a source of joy for me.

This advert is legendary. It’s unquestionably part of culture, and its power to evoke a powerful emotional response endures. An everyday person put the ad on her YouTube channel and since then it’s had over 15.5 million views, 32k likes and over 3000 comments!!!

Quite possibly the greatest ad campaign in the history of TV. I still love the song, after 40+ years!!!! Even more than all modern songs.

I remember how EVERY time I heard this it gave me chills... I thought this was the sweetest thing I'd ever heard. Soundtrack of my youth

This is one of the first things I remember. Had this song in my head all of my life and still like it today.... who is listening and remembers this commercial?

Brings tears to the eyes. One of the most moving commercials of all time!

Coke could claim it was ‘The Real Thing’ then, and still can today, because it is the ‘original’ cola. It may only be 12 years older than Pepsi, but it was and always will be, the first. It’s a genuine point of difference, but it isn’t the only reason that makes Coke the Real Thing.

In a world where brands fade fast, Coca-Cola keeps refreshing its cultural relevance and its fizz. For 20 years straight, (as long as we’ve been doing BrandZ brand valuation at Kantar), Coca-Cola has retained the crown as the world’s most valuable food and drink brand. It remains immensely meaningful, it retains a feeling that it’s relatively different to others and it’s salient. It’s the brand that springs to mind when a relevant need or usage occasion arises.
 
Being iconic as Coke demonstrates isn’t a one-time thing, it’s relentless pursuit…and Coke keeps getting better. Last year at Cannes Lions it was celebrated as creative brand of the year. This is testament to Coke’s global marketing mastery and strategic creative genius.

More importantly I’d argue, is that the perception amongst its target audience that it’s a brand that has great advertising also keeps getting better… as the chart below, which uses globally weighted data, shows it lands in the top 6% brands of brands for having great advertising. The brand also has very strong perceptions as ‘leading the way’ and ‘the best at what they do’.

What you may not know about that iconic Coke advert is that it was born out of a cultural insight. Coke’s then brand manager, Ira C Herbert, introduced it as an ad that “responds to research which shows that young people seek the real, the original and the natural as an escape from phoniness.” The idea behind this infamous ad was born, not in the boardroom, but in life, from culture.

In a world that’s noisier than ever, where our brains our bombarded with endless content and sources of entertainment, tapping into culture isn’t optional, it’s a business imperative.

Culture is a hugely effective springboard for your strategy and for creativity - whether that’s a big creative brand platform, a campaign idea… all the way down creator content and new spaces and places that fuel growth. It’s part of the magic dust that fuels creative effectiveness. Our human brains are programmed to pay attention to things that make us feel something, things that are personality relevant and things that are different, original, and entertaining.

Culture can be a springboard for all of these… but tapping into culture isn’t enough in isolation. If the content and experiences that you’re creating don’t link intuitively to the brand, and don’t reinforce what makes your brand meaningful and different then you’re just contributing to the noise.

Yes, you want to create advertising that earns attention ad is visible in culture, but your aim is for every interaction to build your brands cultural capital and its vibrancy. Data from Kantar shows that brands with high cultural vibrancy grow more than 6x more than brands with low cultural vibrancy.

Coca-Cola continues to make powerful connections with audiences across generations, geographies, touchpoints, and time. Want to know how they get it right so you can apply their secret formula to your own success?

Then join me and Marta Carreras Cancelo, Creative Brand Director, Coca-Cola in Europe, on Wednesday 2 July at 12:30 pm on the Attention Stage as we unbottle the secret blend of cultural insight, creative bravery, and immersive experiences that feed Coke’s meaningful difference and its VIBE!

Coca-Cola: timeless, timely, and totally unmissable at MAD//Fest and beyond!