14 DAY TRIAL // By now, we all know that fizzy drinks are very bad for the health, but that has had little impact on the sales of major brands like Coca Cola and Pepsi. A new PSA from Center for Science in the Public Interest might help you make a change in that sense.
In 1971, Coca Cola released an ad called “I’d Like to Buy the World a Coke,” which was later renamed to “Hilltop.” You can see it in the second video below: to this day, it’s considered one of the best and most efficient instances of marketing, a classic commercial for all intents and purposes.
The reality of those consuming the product advertised in it is different now, 44 years on.
Sugary drinks are linked to the obesity epidemic
When Coca Cola launched its “It’s the Real Thing” campaign, which included the “Hilltop” ad, it was selling this idea of a tasty and amazing fizzy drink that could help bring peace and harmony among people from all over the world.
The idea was great, as was the way it was executed in the ad. The commercial recently aired on the “Mad Men” finale, which brought Coke a boost in media coverage.
So how would all the people featured in it look like today, after 44 years or less of drinking Coke? That’s the idea behind this CSPI public service announcement: if Coke were honest about the effects its product has on the health of its customers, the ad would include people with diabetes, largely obese and with severe tooth decay, among other things.
They would sing about their shattered dreams, about their difficult lives and the many times they required medical care because of their love of fizzy, sugary drinks.
Don’t be deceived by clever marketing
Sugary drinks are the worst, because they pump up the body with empty calories (thousands of them by the bottle / container) and chemicals.
Studies have been saying this for years, but just in case you needed a clearer visual, this PSA should help. It is similar in approach to those PSAs deglamorizing smoking or alcohol consumption, and it’s just as impacting.
“For decades, Coca Cola and other big soda companies have spent billions of dollars trying to convince Americans and citizens around the world that soda equals happiness,” the CSPI says. “We thought it would be interesting to see a fresh take on the Hilltop ad - where real people, suffering from real soda-related health problems - could tell their stories. It’s time to change the tune.”
Soda doesn’t equal happiness, it equals a lifetime of medical expenses for health issues it causes. Don’t be deceived by clever marketing.
