Coke has no single agency working on international advertising because its print and TV ads are created on a country-by-country basis.
It is understood that Mother, which creates Coke's UK advertising, and Berlin Cameron/Red Cell, which handles advertising in New York, have been asked for ideas on international work. Other roster agencies, including Wieden & Kennedy, McCann Erickson, FCB and Ogilvy & Mather, have also been asked for input.
According to sources, Coke will augment rather than replace ads that run in various countries. The goal is to produce at least two spots and some billboard posters that are appropriate for any market. It is unclear whether this work will continue to use the "Real" strapline.
The pitch is being handled by Marc Mathieu, who oversees global brand advertising for Coke Classic; Javier Benito, North America's chief marketing officer and Esther Lee, the company's chief creative officer.
Mother's debut campaign for the Coke Classic brand recently ran in the US following its success in Britain. The move was a vote of a confidence for Mother but is likely to have been a blow for Berlin Cameron.
Berlin Cameron joined Coke's creative roster in January 2003, replacing McCann Erickson. The agency was responsible for creating the "Real" positioning. Mother's 60-second 'I Wish' ad, in which singer Sharlene Hector handed out bottles of Coke as she walked down the street, also used the "Real" strategy.
Meanwhile, a Coke Classic ad created by Berlin Cameron was pulled in the US after an executive claimed it did not reflect the brand's wholesome image.
The ad showed a man putting a cold can of Coke under his arm to cool down and then giving it to his unsuspecting friend.
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