La chispa de la vida
76In case anyone wonders: I'm your regular Coke drinker, and have no affiliation whatsoever with the brand. I just drink the stuff.
La chispa de la vida ("The spark of life") is the slogan Coca Cola goes with in Spain. In their ads, the "spark" message is always present, together with the happines Coke supposedly helps create. Their image is strongly based on these two concepts and, wonder what, it works!
I don't know how popular the Coca Cola ads are out there in the world, but I can say they tend to generate expectation around here, they are usually dynamic, energetic, entertaining, with great background music –the works, and the audience, myself included, tends to love them.
So earlier this week the latest Coca Cola ad aired after a few days of forewarning the audience. I find it a bit annoying when they advertise and ad, as in, duh, get it on the road already and spare me ads about ads! In spite of my tiny bit of annoyance, the ad grabbed me from the first second. What a winner!
It's specifically designed to air in this dreary economic climate and one can perfectly think (and hate the fact) that the brains at Coca Cola planned this to play with our emotions and make us part with our hard earned money on a Classic, a Diet, a Zero, you name it... Well, it's true, that's exactly the idea. But that's NOT the point I want to bring across –it's about the message this ad delivers.
It's wonderfully uplifting and inspiring, and I bet a tear or two will find their way from your heart to you eyes to the world. It's a fabulous tribute to happiness, that funny concept our friends at Coca Cola like to say they help create. Well, they did with this ad. I'm hoping you'll agree.
Since the ad is in Spanish, I'm posting the English version above the video so that the images make sense.
Below the video, for those of you who can read Spanish, you'll find the content in its original form. I hope the feeling isn't lost in translation! Enjoy!
This is a true story
In these difficult times,
we bring together the oldest man
with the youngest baby.
Captions:
Madrid. Aitana Martínez, at three hours from being born.
Mallorca: Josep Mascaró. 102.
Hello Aitana,
My name is Joseph Mascaró and I'm 102 years old. I'm very lucky. Lucky to have been born, like you. Lucky to be able to hug my wife, to have met my friends, to have been able to say goodbye to them, to still be here.
You'll wonder what's the reason for me to come meet you today. Many will tell you that you're born to very difficult times. They'll tell you there's crisis, and what not. Bah. That will make you strong. I've lived through worse times, but in the end, what you'll remember are the good things.
Don't lose your time with nonsense, there is plenty of that, but go and find what makes you happy, time really flies. I've lived 102 years and I assure you that the only thing you won't like about life is that it will seem entirely too short.
You are here to be happy.
Agency: McCann-Erickson Madrid
Meeting about happiness
The original
Esta es una historia real.
En estos tiempos difíciles,
reunimos al hombre más viejo
con el bebé más joven.
Captions:
Madrid. Aitana Martínez. A tres horas de nacer.
Mallorca: Josep Mascaró. 102 años.
Hola Aitana,
Me llamó Josep Mascaró y tengo 102 años. Soy un suertudo, tengo suerte por haber nacido, como tu. Por poder abrazar a mi mujer, por haber conocido a mis amigos, por haberme despedido de ellos, por seguir aquí.
Te preguntarás cual es la razón de venir a conocerte hoy. Es que muchos te dirán que a quién se le ocurre llegar en los tiempos que corren. Que hay crisis, que no sé qué. Bah. Esto te hará fuerte. Yo he vivido momentos peores que este, pero al final, de lo único que te vas a acordar, es de las cosas buenas.
No te entretengas en tonterías, que las hay, y vete a buscar lo que te haga feliz, que el tiempo corre muy deprisa. He vivido 102 años y te aseguro que lo único que no te va a gustar de la vida es que te va a parecer demasiado corta.
Estás aquí para ser feliz.
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Comments
Elena: You caught me just in time, was going to sleep now (its 3 a.m.), and this is indeed a beautiful and timely message, one that adds light to a world in need of it. I loved it! I couldn't agree more, life is short, let's live it to the fullest by choosing to do what makes us happy and letting go (or not even engaging) in nonesense that takes our power away.
Thumbs up!
Amanda -- The baby is sweet, and our old guy Josep is positively adorable :-) I'm with you, this is such nice change of pace in this general atmosphere of gloom and doom -- I think that's the beauty of the ad, be happy regardless!
VioletSun -- I'm SO glad you liked it, and that the message isn't lost in translation! :-) That's exactly it, life is short, live it, be happy!
Estamos aquí para ser feliz.
Sí, Teresa! That's the real spark of life! :-)
What a moving ad! I can't say that I've ever seen an ad for Coke that was like this one. Gosh, that's enough to make a person cry, and if i didn't like Coke, I'd probably buy it anyway.
I think the closest highly emotional ad I've seen here is from many, many years ago, and I can't even remember the product or the sponsor or anything beyond the face of an old Native American Indian man with one tear rolling down his face. Oh the image was so captivating and it really grabbed you by the heart. Perhaps that's why I can't remember what the commercial was about!
Thank you for sharing this sweet Elena! :)
Hello Pam, you Vanity Fair cover girl, you! :-) One thing this ad has in common with all other Coke ads is not really advertizing the drink, but the feeling it creates -- that's very much aligned with Coke's style, at least here. But you are right that the story itself is quite unique. Movingly unique. I'm glad you enjoyed :-*
Is this it, Pam? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4ozVMxzNAA
WOW you're fast and efficient! I think that's it! Perhaps I was much younger than I thought when i originally saw this though, because that guy isn't old at all. lol! Isn't it funny how young people start looking as you get older?
Anyway, thank you so much for finding this. I remember that face with the tear just freezing in time for a few seconds when it was airing on tv.
Fast and efficient, that's me. AHEM. Laugh
It's from the 70', so I can see how the guy would have appeared "old", you were practically a BABY then!! As I was. Ahem!
LOL! Yea, I'm sticking to that too...we were but babies, and now we're smoking babes. :) :D
Thanks for the smiles and chuckles! They went very well with my coffee. :D
Nice one Elena. The ads have good copy writers. Wish I could get a job with them
Hi Anthony! Yeah, these guys can write to fit a purpose, for sure! I hope you caught or will catch soon the ad on TV, big screen viewing is way better than YouTube... except if you have a 19" or bigger screen on the computer :-)
Really beautiful.. (and you set it up nicely, too). The moment when he tocuhes the baby's hand is one that chokes me up a bit. Thanks for sharing that.
Glad it got to you, too, Rochelle. And that moment is just sublime :-)
I loved it! I am sentimental like that and yes it almost makes you want to cry! What a touching ad for Coca Cola. You almost forget what the commercial is selling by being pulled into the video. The spanish version feels deeper hearing it in Spanish than in English translated.
P.S. El bebe es muy bonito! Y Cachatono! (CHUBBY CHEEKS) =)
I think back to my grandfather who passed away a couple of months ago, as I was a young boy, divorced parents, me being shipped around the family like a piece of luggage, my grandfather always had a coke ready for me. He had a special refrigerator where he kept his goodies, that he kept his good soda. All the RC colas were in the frig for everyone else.
Even though life was shitty, the unspoked words of my grandfather, made me understand I had to be strong and take a moment to smile.
That was beautiful GOLDEN TOAD! Your grandpa was a good man. And he was smart. He saved the good stuff for his favorites- himself and you! =)
I know what its like to be shifted around La Familia like a peice of "luggage".... Sorry that your life was so sad. I am glad he instilled strength in you.
Hi jj! You are right! I didn't think of it that way, but it's true that one almost forgets this is an ad! If the Spanish version feels deeper then it's because I did a poor job with the translation, but then again it may be the way it's narrated, in the voice of this 102 old fellow, that gives it a quality the translation will never achieve. In any case, it's great that you GET the Spanish :-)
GT, you make me see the ad under a different light. Actually, you make me see Coke under a different light. I don't mean to diminish your feelings for your grandfather or vice versa in any way whatsoever (nothing furthest from my mind!!) but you make me think that the Coca Cola message actually sticks!! You granddad saved the real thing for YOU because YOU were special and he wanted to make YOU feel special. I'm really sorry to hear about your granddad passing away.
On another note: The more I know of you, the more I like you. BESOS!
Toad, you've got to be in the American Coca Cola commercial. Any reading this work for them?
Elena, you did it again. (teary eyed now). I agree with Rochelle, it's fabulously set up. Nothing lost in translation either. Very emotional. They probably advertised the advertisement to make sure everyone was listening and to make sure the message was not overlooked. Beautiful hub. Beautiful ad too. Thanks for sharing.
Frieda, you good woman you, from now on I'm going to add a photo of a box of kleenex at the bottom of each new hub! But in a silly kind of way I'm glad it made you teary eyed, as it did (does) me!
Reading your comment makes me realize you probably are totally right, they likely advertized the ad to make sure we paid attention to the message. If you think about it, the images go to your heart but aren't great "movie material", so to speak, and definitely anywhere close to the voiceover, which is from out of this world! Thanks for pointing that out!
LOL!!!! I just watched the Youtube with the Indian with the tear rolling down his face, which was a tear jerker for me, and like Pam, I remember him as being like 90, and he is not! Yup, as we get older others do not seem as old. hehe.
Yeah, as Pam said we've gone from babies to smokin' babes AHEM and somehow people around us seem to keep gettin' younger by the hour! Laugh
I worked for Coca Cola for 6 years, so I am jaded. But I will say that this is a very beautiful commercial. So coke made a very touching, thought provoking commercial - But I will wait to see what they actually do for the community.
"It is always easier to defend one's principles than it is to actually live them..."
Hi ParadigmShift! I can see how working for Coca Cola would make one see things under a different light. I myself touched a bit on that in the lead in to the video. In spite of that, the message is wonderful, I can't help but be touched by it. On principles, I hear you, absolutely.
Elena, Thanks for sharing the ad, just as you said it was splendid and uplifting. The message was not lost in translation, it brought a tear to my eye. I don't really care that it was made to make people want to part with their money. I loved the message, focus on what makes you happy :)))
Exactly, k@ari! Focus on what makes you happy! that's what the old guy in the add tells the new born, "you are here to be happy" :) I'm glad the fundamental message wasn't lost in translation, thank you!
Elena, I don't think we have an American version of this add. It is very touching. Thanks for sharing it with us. How have you been? OK? I hope? We haven't talked in a long time. Wanted to let you know I'm thinking of you!
My darling Chris! So good to see you! We keep getting sepparated by different pursues these days, it seems! I'm glad to hear from you!
I just watched the ad again and boy, these goose bumps still keep appearing. It's a wonderful, but wonderful, message! I'll see you later, I'm sure! Gotta run now, back in a while!
Amanda Severn says:
10 months ago
That's a sweet ad, and a gorgeous baby, too! The little one has so much hair! Both my children were bald apart from a little bit of blonde fluff. You're right Elena, Coca Cola do put huge effort into their ads (and a huge amount of cash too) It's good to see something touching, but upbeat. Makes a nice change from all the gloom and doom.