"Thanks for Coke-Creating" places craft at its core, elevating informal murals of Coca-Cola from bodegas worldwide in an official campaign that strikes a balance between showcasing these artworks in beautifully executed ways while preserving their authenticity. The candid typography, illustration, and art direction in these shops — in the form of informal Spencerian logos, contour bottles, and the wave — underwent a study of creative techniques that transformed them into assets for ads, Coke cans, vending machines, and more. Finally, the creative impact of these elements in a new space reinforced Coke’s iconic identity through visual storytelling and aesthetic appeal.

This project emerged as a response to the widespread presence of unofficial Coca-Cola logo interpretations found in bodegas, mini markets, and mom-and-pop shops globally. In many markets — represented in this project by countries such as Australia, India, Indonesia, South Africa, Brazil, and Mexico — these unofficial versions hold significant cultural relevance, reflecting the local communities' creativity and connection to the brand. The decision to collaborate with these shops and celebrate their artworks was a strategic move to honor their contribution to Coca-Cola's cultural landscape. Against the backdrop of a globalized world, this initiative underscores Coca-Cola's commitment to authenticity and inclusivity, resonating with diverse audiences while amplifying the brand's cultural relevance.

The Situation: In bodegas, mini markets, and mom-and-pop shops all over the globe, thousands of unofficial versions of Coca-Cola’s branding have been defying the brand’s guidelines and best practices.

Brief: Strengthen the relationship with local markets and small shops by engaging with their local communities while also highlighting them to a broader Coca-Cola audience.

Objectives: Foster brand loyalty, strengthen community ties and amplify brand visibility through collaboration with local shops.

How does one beautifully craft and art direct a campaign that has amateur art direction as its main asset? In "Thanks for Coke-Creating," we let the unofficial interpretations of Coca-Cola branding shine: color palettes that don't respect the red-and-white standard, wave shapes that have the most twisted curves, and several Coke contour bottles where no shape is the same. When adapting the informal versions of Coca-Cola to the official brand touch points, we used design techniques to find a balance that preserved the expressions' authenticity while seamlessly infusing them into Coca-Cola cans, corrugated packs, delivery trucks, fridges and more.