McCann Creates ‘Fair Play Machines’ for Coca-Cola, Milan Rivals

McCann Worldgroup Milan created “Fair Play Machines” for Coca-Cola, bringing together rival fans at the San Siro Stadium in Milan.

Internazionale di Milano and A.C. Milan have a fierce rivalry dating back decades, which often leaves neighbors, friends, and even family enemies when the two teams meet. So, as part of Coca-Cola’s ongoing “#ShareTheGood” campaign, in the moments leading up to kickoff at an important Internazionale di Milano versus A.C. Milan match at a very divided San Siro Stadium in Milan, McCann Worldgroup installed two vending machines in the stadium, one on each side of arena. The catch: fans couldn’t get a Coke for themselves, only for fans of the rival team. Pressing a button on one of the machines, connected to the other via video and audio, sent a Coke down a chute and delivered it to a rival fan. In under an hour, both machines were emptied, bringing rival fans closer together and supporting fair play.

“Coca-Cola reminds us that even in the face of seeming differences, happiness can be found through simple moments of human connection,” explains Claudia Navarro, director, integrated marketing communications, central & southern Europe. Check out the video above to see the campaign in action, and stick around for credits after the jump. continued…

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McCann Milan, Coke Make New Can Smile

Changing one of the most iconic products in the world could backfire. We’ve seen Coca-Cola add new flavors and alter their signature bottle contour before: New Coke fizzled out quietly after a decade, and Coca-Cola Blak didn’t even last two years. Now, McCann Milan is making the slightest of changes to Coke cans in Italy, redesigning the mouth, so when someone opens a new Coke, it looks as if the can is smiling back at them. McCann is calling this product the “Happy Can.”

The adjustment is so subtle, folks may not even realize anything has changed at all. The campaign is meant to cheer up Italians after a year of controversial press focusing on Silvio Berlusconi, a new Pope, and a troubled economy. Will the Happy Can make any difference? Probably not, since the can has yet to go into production. At the moment, it is only being hyped for promotional purposes, popping up on billboards in major Italian cities while the Coca-Cola brand goes over the legality of a widespread tweak to their traditional design. If McCann’s can modification could actually remedy Italy’s 36% youth unemployment rate, then people may be more inclined to buy a smiling pop-top. But for now, it’s just a very minor gesture in a country with some very major problems. Credits after the jump.

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