Santa Ignored in DentsuMB’s New Coca-Cola Christmas Ad For 90 Markets

With Christmas coming in the next few weeks, it’s no surprise that some festive adverts have already begun rolling out.
Globally, one of the most eagerly awaited festive ads every year is that of Coca-Cola, whose famous festive truck has been at the centre stage since the 1995 Coca-Cola Christmas Caravan advert.
This year, Coca-Cola has been persuaded to give Santa a back seat in its Christmas ad, with the creative people at DentsuMB in London telling the story of a young boy, inspired by Santa, who builds a cardboard chimney in his chimney-less apartment block.
In the first ad under the brand’s ‘Real Magic’ philosophy, Coca-Cola is spotlighting the “real magic of human connections” at this Christmas with the launch of its festive ad around a short film that tells the story of a boy moving into a new apartment with his mum at Christmas. Noticing there is no fireplace, the boy realises that without a chimney, Santa Claus cannot visit his home to deliver presents. With the help of neighbours, he builds a chimney himself out of boxes.
The two-and-a-half-minute film will also be shown as a series of shorter versions in at least 90 markets around the world, including the UK, Africa, US and Canada. There will also be two 20-second short stories featuring the film’s other characters.
Supporting activity will take place across digital channels, including influencer partnerships, as well as local community initiatives and in-store activations.
“This is our first Christmas campaign under the new Real Magic brand philosophy for Coca-Cola,” says global chief marketing officer Manolo Arroyo.
“Coca-Cola has always believed in the magic of Christmas and this year our campaign celebrates the real magic of human connections. With a simple and uplifting message of unity, inclusion, and positivity at its heart, it aims to remind us that all we need for a magical Christmas is shared moments with the community and the ones we love.”
The campaign will run alongside the long-standing ‘Holidays Are Coming’ ad over the festive period.
Coca-Cola Company shot their new global Christmas commercial in Hungary, at Korda Studio in Etyek. In addition to the Hungarian setting, the ad has another Hungarian connection: the creative and production process, from concept to production to post-production, was led by Hungarian advertising expert Tom Hidvégi, Coca-Cola’s head of creative strategy in Latin America.
The 2020 ad was directed by Taika Waititi – of Thor: Ragnarok and Jojo Rabbit fame – and told the sentimental tale of an oil-rig worker who forgets to send his daughter’s letter to Santa before heading out on the ship.
The dad makes it his mission to find Santa and deliver it himself, only to arrive at the North Pole and discover that his workshop is closed for Christmas – but Santa spots him in his big red truck and drops him home, only to discover that his daughter’s festive wish was for him to come home for the holidays.
The truck tour around the country which normally accompanies the ad was canceled in 2020 due to the Covid pandemic.
It could be recalled that Coca-Cola unveiled ‘Real Magic’ in September, its first new global brand platform since 2016. Under this new platform, the beverage giant said it would change the way it communicates with consumers, by moving away from broadcast communications to create an ecosystem of experiences.