COCA-COLA: Grand Theft Auto, History, What Else Haven’t I Done?, Happiness Factory

JEFF GOODBY: I love that Coke parody of Grand Theft Auto, but I’ve seen it before. (Silverstein inexplicably likes that one that goes inside the vending machine. Does nothing for me.)

GARY KOEPKE: I have to say that I was very impressed with all of the Coca-Cola work. It was not only socially optimistic but culturally relevant. Very positive messages in very trouble times. Every thing about them where excellent, all celebrating the positive, in an artistic and smart way. Great strategy for a great company. These were the best ads by far in the whole game.

JOSEPH JAFFE: A refreshing and timely return to the Super Bowl by a brand that has always soared when armed with purpose.

TIM ARNOLD: When you’re a brand as big as Coke and you can maintain the accessible carriage of a leader, along with a joie de vivre, tempered by a wiff of humility and stoked by great street smarts, or hell, you just give your agency the room to rein you back into that space, you come up with an irresistible invitation into your brand world like the Grand Theft Auto production. Talk about turning a cultural icon on its ear! Yeah, I liked this one, and yeah, I thinkit can move some kind of needle. And I liked your celebration of Black History Month that followed it. ... Wow. Is Coke back or what? I am all in to what I’m seeing - and feeling - from Coke. You got me. Vending Machine? Magical. A fantasmagormic Coca-Cola wonderland, and I want in. Pure eye candy. And much more. There’s an idea. There’s even a strategy. Wieden? You rock!

MARIAN SALZMAN: From GoDaddy to Coke is like traveling from, well , Astoria, Queens to East Hampton, YET, somehow because Coke is great, but predictable, I wonder if GoDaddy—because we’ll remember the name—isn’t the winner this round. Can it be the creativity bar is so high, and that we’re so overloaded with advertising anticipation, that in the end only the truly inappropriate—or the “what the hell are they doing there?” brands—ultimately get remembered for more than their seconds of paid fame? There is also the second thing: GoDaddy taps into the mind and mood of the evening—wet t- shirts, yee-haw humor—and Coke is more like the Museum of Modern Art, which ensures that most people will glaze over Coke’s commercials, like they would a great painting if the choice was that … or “all you can eat” at Bennigan’s. ... Maybe it’s just me with so many African-American players on the field, but it was genuinely refreshing to see Coke celebrate Black History Month with such grace and ease. I wonder how the public will recall the spot, but I know I learned something from it.

JIM FERGUSON: The Coke spot with the animations was interesting but not enough to push two mechanics almost kissing for the lead.

STEPHEN VOLTZ & FRITZ GROBE: The Coke video game gone nice was nice, but not my favorite—it needed some Diet Coke & Mentos fountains, not just fire hydrant spray.

ANDY BERLIN: Coke “Side of Life”/Grand Theft Auto, nice, optimistic commercial, anti-mayhem, I reckon. Wieden + Kennedy delivers the elixir of optimism ‘bout as well as it could be done .. what the world needs now, etc. ... Coke Black History week … politicaly smart, beyond criticism and very cost effective (who was that director?).

CHRIS WALL: Coke. Mr Hadley. Old man never had a coke before. Inspires him to think about all the other stuff he’s never done. What a great little spot. Fabulous, rich story crammed into 30 seconds. Well cast. Nicely cut. My favorite so far, I think. ... Vending Machine: This is Joe Sciarotta’s favorite spot. Coke is definitely having a good game.

MARC BERMAN: What was the deal with that Coke GTA ad? Terrific graphics, but what does any of it have to do with the soda? ... The Coke ad celebrating Black History was commendable -- a nice walk down memory lane.

DAVID LUBARS: Past agencies didn’t or couldn’t do worthy work for Coke. Wieden deserves praise.

JASON MARKS: From the simple, print-based, Coke silhouette end card to the big concept of magic and wild energy in a bottle, Coke focused on the big brand and gave themselves room to execute within one message. The machinima video gamescape and the magical psyop land of cokeness were cool, designy, and fun—united in concept with unique executions. Even the old-man-seizes-the-day piece stayed within the wild energy ethos and played very cartoony and fun. I think for overall branding, Coke was iconic, creative, and consistent—a winner.

February 5, 2007 | Permalink