Honoring Half a Century of Coca-Cola®’s Iconic Ad

At Gift All Season, we stay current with trends. In 2020, our Covid-themed decorations, like our Santa With Face Mask ornament, broke records and sold out rapidly. They were incredibly popular! Our Christmas ornaments boast all the contemporary features and conveniences, but we are also deeply fond of nostalgia. We adore our Ginger Cottages collections, which evoke the charm of bygone days. However, our most nostalgic series might be the Ginger Cottages Coca-Cola® collection. It showcases a jolly Santa checking his list, shushing a dog, and frequently depicts him enjoying a refreshing Coke®. 

We cherish our association with Coca-Cola® and are thrilled to honor a nostalgic landmark this year. Half a century ago, in 1971, Coca-Cola® produced an iconic commercial featuring young people from across the globe, solidifying the company as an international brand, and Coke® as a universal product. “I’d like to buy the world a Coke,” the simple tune begins, performed by youth clad in traditional attire. The final scene, captured from a helicopter, expands to reveal the entire group harmonizing on a lush hillside. Despite the dated appearance compared to modern digital advertisement techniques, the timeless message, vision, and straightforwardness of the advertisement still embody what the Coca-Cola® brand represents. 

Although the commercial’s concept was straightforward and beautiful, its production was quite challenging. Coca-Cola’s® visionary advertising legend and art director of the time, Harvey Gabor, imagined international students singing together on a hillside. The approved budget was $100,000, about twice the average cost of a commercial in 1971. The initial shoot was planned for British school children on the Cliffs of Dover in England, but high winds made it unfeasible. The crew shifted to Rome and recast over 1,000 students, but faced rain delays and other setbacks, leaving Gabor and his team over budget and without a finished product. They received authorization and an additional $250,000 for a complete reshoot. Despite a few more hurdles, they completed the shooting and production, resulting in the memorable commercial known today. During a time of tension and uncertainty, this simple song became a powerful message of unity and hope, still regarded as one of the most iconic ads ever created. 

We celebrate the 50th anniversary of this legendary commercial and our collaboration with the Coke® brand, embracing the global sentiment of unity it represents. We recognize the considerable influence their brand has had worldwide and are thrilled to be a part of it with our Ginger Cottages Coca-Cola® collection. For those unfamiliar, the collection includes Ginger Cottages ornaments with Santa and Coke®, as well as enchanting cottages with hidden secrets, all embodying classic Coke® nostalgia.