Coca-Cola is going with remakes as it targets markets in Asia Pacific, Latin America and Spain in two ads released today.

Aimed at Latin America and Spain, a Spanish-language spot, from Mercado McCann in Argentina, is called “Para Todos.” It is a new version of an Argentinian ad from 2002 that includes scenes of a litany of Coke packaging that represents real people, like families and groups of friends.

The new version uses similar visuals, along with imagery and language that references the pandemic. Once scene looks down on the mouth of a Coke can. One not yet open represents healthcare workers wearing face masks, and another tab pushed in stands for folks without the face covering. It features lines such as “For those who recovered. For those who are no longer with us,” and then ends with, “We will get through this. For everyone.” Above is an English version of the ad, with the original in Spanish below.  

A second ad, called “Reasons to Believe in the Human Race,” will hit Asia Pacific starting today and comes from Dentsu-owned shop Merdeka LHS. It contrasts negative thoughts with positive ones. “For every act of selfishness, there are thousands of selfless ones,” the ad declares, contrasting a scene of a woman buying up all the toilet paper in the store with another shot of a woman receiving medical treatment. It is an updated version of a spot from 2011 that contrasted tanks with teddy bears, along with other juxtapositions.

The paid media support behind the ads will be minimal at first, avoiding the big TV buys that Coke is known for in normal times. “It’s going to be mostly owned media, digital, for the most part, across the board,” Coca-Cola global Chief Marketing Officer Manuel Arroyo said in an interview, referring to Coke’s social channels.

The approach comes as Coke battles sales headwinds caused by the pandemic. Volume plummeted 25 percent since the beginning of April, the company reported last week, driven by steep declines in away-from-home channels, such as stadiums and other venues that have gone dark.

Read the full story on Coke's plans going forward here.