After discovering a message hidden inside a Coca-Cola bottle on a beach, Kate posted about the find on her Facebook. Soon after — to the surprise of many, including Kate — the family of the individual who had written the message came forward. That’s also when we learned about this story.
As a product that is all about adding more moments of connection to the world, we knew we had to act and that our role was clear. We, as a brand, had the resources and responsibility to be the catalyst of connection, so we had to be the “Real Magic” guiding the story to its natural and satisfying conclusion: the two women at the heart of this story coming together to share Coke and the decades old message.
We brought together Kate and Aja, so that Kate could share the message from Aja’s mother with her. It was a surreal moment for Aja, who had recently lost her mother in 2021. “When you lose someone, you know, you want to look for a sign,” she said. “It's like the 14-year-old version of my mother is reaching out to me."
We filmed the interaction and created a video within Coca-Cola’s "Real Magic" platform, aiming to demonstrate the power of connection in a tangible, emotionally resonant way. We wanted to move beyond simply telling our audience that Coke connects people and instead show them, using a real-life story discovered organically on social media.
Our objective was to highlight how Coca-Cola, both literally and figuratively, adds more moments of connection to the world. Sometimes it’s as simple as talking with someone over a meal and Coke, but on other occasions it can be so much more. This story, that we spotted on Facebook, of a message in a bottle passed down through generations, provided the perfect narrative vehicle. It showcased the brand's enduring presence and its almost serendipitous role in connecting people across time and circumstance.
This campaign's unique strength lies in its organic origins and authentic execution. We discovered the story of the message in a bottle on Facebook. It was a testament to the power of social media to - like Coca-Cola - connect people in unexpected ways. Recognizing the "Real Magic" potential within this narrative, we proactively reached out to both Kate and Aja, facilitating their meeting and the emotional connection that unfolded. By doing so, we brought the Coca-Cola platform to life, not through manufactured sentimentality, but by acting as a catalyst for an authentic human connection.
One challenge was ensuring the genuine nature of Kate and Aja's connection. There’s a fine balance to strike between sharing a story and being exploitative, so we prioritized their comfort first and foremost, allowing Aja to keep parts of the message private and obtaining their permission to even be part of the experience as a brand. This approach, built on trust and respect, allowed the connection between Kate and Aja to unfold organically, free from any pressure or artificiality. It was their story, and we were simply honored to facilitate its next chapter.
Capturing this meeting on video allowed us to share this sincere moment of connection with a wider audience and have them experience the magic for themselves. The video aimed to not only warm hearts but also reinforce Coca-Cola's position as a catalyst for human connection in a digitally driven world. We believed this approach, rooted in human experience, would resonate deeply with audiences, fostering positive brand association and driving engagement.
However, Kate and Aja weren't the only ones who made a connection. The message, entrusted to a Coca-Cola bottle decades ago, created a touching connection between mother and daughter. A testament to the enduring power of connection, it offered a tangible link to Aja’s mother's past, which was especially moving given her mother had passed away not too long before.
By fostering positive brand sentiment and demonstrating the “Real Magic” of Coca-Cola through a heartfelt human story, we achieved our core objectives and garnered meaningful engagement across social platforms. We promoted the story just as we found it, organically. Which led to some of the industry's highest completion rates for a piece this long (83.7%) and one of our strongest engagement rates on Coke’s Instagram ever (98th percentile). It also got the attention of several news outlets, including Telegram and Gazelle, which featured our video of what they called a “magical story”. In total, our activations received over 2M impressions, all organically.
The audience wasn’t just watching; they were invested in the story, drawn in by the authentic human connection at its core. The video itself served as a powerful embodiment of our brand beliefs, proving that “Real Magic” can be communicated in a deeply moving and impactful way, captivating viewers and fostering a genuine connection with the Coca-Cola brand."
