- Coca-Cola will continue its summer tie-ins with Disney properties this year with a Star Wars-centric promotion that will involve collectible cans, an augmented-reality experience and new creative content.
- The “Coca-Cola x Star Wars: Refresh Your Galaxy” promotion will run globally and will include exclusive items in Disney parks in Orlando, Anaheim and Tokyo. The activation builds a 70-year relationship between Disney and Coca-Cola, which began when Disneyland opened in 1955.
- The promo includes 30 limited-edition Coca-Cola Classic and Coca-Cola Zero Sugar cans and bottles featuring characters from throughout the Star Wars universe. (Twenty-seven of those packages will be available in retail outlets while three will be exclusive to Disney parks.) Those cans and bottles will also contain a QR code that, when scanned, will enable consumers to send a video message to friends that looks like a hologram message sent by the Star Wars characters.
“For generations, Coca-Cola and Disney have shared a commitment to creating moments of joy and human connection,” said Islam El Dessouky, global vice president, creative strategy & content at Coca-Cola, in a statement. “This collaboration is about more than just bringing together two iconic brands – it’s about celebrating the power of Star Wars fandom, shared passions, and the strength of community when we lift each other up.”
The effort includes new creative that draws extensively from the Star Wars universe. A new commercial, which will run in two-and-a-half-minute, 60-second and 30-second versions, depicts costumed fans showing up for a Star Wars movie marathon at a local theater. Backed by different elements of John Williams’ famous score, the fans visit the concession stand in a manner that mimics the cantina scene from the original film, before taking their seats in the theater.
Once inside the theater, a film glitch interrupts the screening, which leads to the characters breaking out into a friendly good vs. evil character melee with lightsabers, blasters and pretend use of the force. When the film is restored, the audience cheers and happily returns to their seats.
The spots will run across TV, digital and out-of-home in select markets in North America, Latin America, Europe, Japan, and Asia/South Pacific. Additionally, the themed packaging will be available in mid-July, featuring classic and more recent characters including Darth Vader, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Ahsoka Tano, Darth Maul, K2SO, General Grievous, Han Solo, BB-8 and Grogu, among others.
