April 09, 2024
Coke’s logo gets a handmade upgrade for its new ad
A new campaign for the soda maker shows that imitation is the best form of flattery.
Humans are bad at getting the details of logos right (this much we know), but Coca-Cola is embracing the imperfections of fan-made dupes.
A new ad campaign called “Every Coca-Cola is Welcome,” features handmade Coke logos made by shopkeepers and artists from around the world. The team behind the campaign—led by ad agency VML, developed by WPP Open X, and supported by EssenceMediacom and Ogilvy PR—scouted the logos from hundreds of examples.
“It’s been incredible to see the unique and individual interpretations of the Coca-Cola logo,” Coca-Cola’s global vice president of creative strategy and content Islam ElDessouky said in a statement. “These visuals are so meaningful and impactful. Signs for local businesses capturing colors of cultures and personalities of communities. We’re proud to celebrate and embrace their work.”
The campaign is a celebration of Coke’s iconic script logo, which the company introduced in 1887. The serifs of Diet Coke and the short-lived New Coke notwithstanding, Coca-Cola has kept a version of its script logo ever since, with tweaks both major and minor along the way. Still, the company is not a stranger to messing with its logo for the art of an ad campaign. It has previously turned its ribbon into a hand-bump and in one instance, ditched the logo altogether.
Each of the homemade renderings has its charm—think curlicue serifs that aren’t quite right or a wonky-looking bottle with a logo painted across it. But Bodega owners don’t have to get the details of the wordmark exactly right for us to know what they’re referring to. That’s the power of Coke’s logo, and it’s exactly what Coke wants to show off.
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