The answer to all the above question was given by McCann Belgrade’s new campaign for the Coca-Cola brand that replaced the versus concept with joint one, marrying print and hand knitted in their new billboard. Exciting projects arise when the seemingly incompatible categories get intertwined. Creatives of McCann Belgrade succeeded in doing just that in making this campaign. A world-famous brand, whose logo is known across the planet, with yet another example shows that being great means to recognize true cultural and local values.
“The tastes, the textures, the colors, the fragrances and the areas of this campaign give us a unique feeling – a sense of belonging, and they show how one iconic world brand can and wants to participate in the promotion and preservation of local cultural heritage,” said Dubravka Petrović, McCann Belgrade’s Associate Creative Director.
The campaign is an excellent example of how the media can be used in an innovative and non-commercial way, and at the same time creative and well-designed. Media can be “creatively” used in many ways, from using existing channels in an unusual way, coming up with new formats, or by combining the most effective channels and formats into an ideal mix. This campaign is a successful example of using a classic channel, such as a billboard, with a non-standard format of knitted or woven billboard.
The woolen billboard with recognizable motifs of Zlatibor pastures, a mountain house and pines is the first, but not the only handmade work of this format. After the knitted billboard, another one will be made, hand-woven on the looms of the Pirot area. Under the ornaments of Pirot, commonly known as frogs and dragons as they are still called in Pirot, a Coca-Cola logo is hidden with a knife and a fork. The realization of the project was supported by the Zlatibor knitters Mira Lekić, Nena Hodak and Olivera Savić, who knitted the billboard for almost two months in their traditional technique, and according to the design by Lidija Milovanović and Kristina Jovanović.
Hand-made billboards are a colorful announcement of the great Coca-Cola gastronomy series that reveals and revives not only ancient crafts, but also the old and almost forgotten recipes collected from all parts of Serbia. A series of 12 episodes titled Unforgettable Tastes of Serbia will take us into the authentic cuisine of hardworking women who know how to make original samsa, belmuz, šufnudle, bulgur and many other Serbian specialties. Coca-Cola with this series presents the traditional and modern version of the dishes, tailored to today’s pace of life.
