Keeping in mind that the brand literally helped shape the image of Santa Claus, how does Coca-Cola keep launching such consistently disappointing campaigns?
Just last month, we Turkeyed the "Magic of Coke taste" campaign starring a six-foot animated tongue – and it seems its sugar-free counterpart is no better on the creative front.
Diet Coke’s latest spot, "Grannies", shows a pair of nans thirsting (pun intended) over 84-year-old Derek via dating app Twinge.
The swiping grandmas refer to the scantily-clad love interest as "babes" before – in a move I can only assume was inspired by Pennywise from IT – descending into a fit of chilling laughter and uncomfortable animal noises. Honestly, anyone who stumbles across the tail end of this ad with no context will be petrified.
Even the concept is outdone. So far this year, dating apps have been tackled by Telenor, Axe Ice Chill and Danepak, not to mention the legitimately good works launched by Hinge, Bumble and Tinder.
While Coke somehow manages to trivialise Gen Z with the "Can’t even", "Okay, next" and "It’s lit" limited-edition cans, there is at least a silver lining in its acknowledgement that dating apps aren’t just for twenty-somethings.
However, doing a better job than Lumen in the fight against ageism is far from a triumph.
Brand Coca-Cola
Title Grannies
Agency Wieden & Kennedy London
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