A girl spots the sexy, sweaty new pool boy while looking out her window. Her brother spots him too, and it’s suddenly a brutal race to get an icy Coke outside to him first in this funny, flirty new ad from Coca-Cola.
Part of the “Taste the Feeling” campaign, which highlights all the Coke brands (Coca-Cola, Coke Zero, Diet Coke, Coca-Cola Light and Coca-Cola Life) with commercials that are globally appealing with little-to-no dialogue, this ad is borderless and inclusive. And that’s why we love it.
Coca-Cola didn’t necessarily set out to rock the boat with this ad. It just so happens that the storyline aligns with their company views. Spokeswoman Kate Hartman told The Huffington Post that the “Pool Boy” ad was intended as a “human story where Coca-Cola plays a key role in the development of the drama."
"The story also includes a wink that touches on our point of view regarding diversity and inclusion,” she said. “We are managing culturally relevant messages organically within our spots, not as the main subject of the story, but as subtext.” We see what you did there, Coke, and keep it coming, please.
Many major brands are making more of an effort to reflect all types of families in their advertising, from Cheerios to Campbell’s Soup. And though there has been some minor backlash, the companies have held their ground and made bold statements. Check out this sick burn from Campbell’s in regards to a complaint about a spot with two dads feeding their son soup.
And that, Coke, is how you handle the haters! We hope that Campbell’s, Coca-Cola and other brands keep showing us the full rainbow of families, especially the funny ones. And more pool boys, too!