David Miami’s latest iteration of the “Real Magic” platform shifts attention away from the iconic brand and toward true-to-life human interactions.
Coca-Cola has focused on togetherness and human connection in its marketing since launching its “Real Magic” platform in 2021. While the platform has frequently dipped into world-renowned and AI-generated art, it has also placed the brand at the center of meals and family gatherings.
For its latest “Real Magic” iteration, the brand tapped longtime agency partner David Miami for “Spills,” a campaign that switches focus from a bottle of Coke to the moment of connection that caused a spill. In a series of TV spots, the action starts with a spill before reversing in slow-motion to show the instigating moment: a reunion on the street between a man and woman, a surprise party entrance with friends, or a cuddle with a dog at the door.
Along with TV ads in the U.S., the campaign includes out-of-home and digital out-of-home ads in the U.S. and Brazil. While David Miami previously relied on Coca-Cola’s iconic elements to capture sonic moments in static photos, “Spills” attempts to take the attention off the brand and give it to true-to-life human interactions.
“Let’s be honest, there are more important things than the product in itself,” said Edgard Gianesi, chief creative officer at David Miami. “Everything that we normally do in advertising transforms the product into the hero of any situation. The reality is human connection … is pretty much the most important thing in life.”
That focus on key human moments comes as consumers worldwide adjust to post-pandemic life but face domestic challenges during global conflict and crisis. “Spills” takes a comparatively minor inconvenience — a spilled soda — and encourages consumers to pay attention to what matters most.
“We took something simple, and it caught people’s attention because they can relate to it, instead of going all AI,” said David Miami’s creative director Joana Plautz. “Sometimes when you touch people in something that’s so true to them, they stop and think, and you don’t need to go overboard.”
Capturing the moment
Like many modern campaigns, Coca-Cola and David sought authenticity when producing and filming “Spills.” The agency wanted the spots to look spontaneous but well-crafted, so a lot of work was put into color coordination to ensure that the viewer’s eye went to the right place.
Planning and rehearsal focused on finding the right situations for a spill, a woman jumping into a man’s arms, or a group of young friends hugging and jumping at each other. The production shot film and photos simultaneously, using a camera with a robotic arm so that characters could repeat the same movement every time, and photographer-director Nixon Freire and his crew could capture the same emotion — and spill — across mediums.
“We wanted the spill to look real, which is quite hard, to be honest,” Plautz said.
