Coca-Cola’s Joyous Christmas Ad Places The Role Of Santa In Everyone’s Hands

Coca-Cola has a deep affinity with Santa Claus, having created the warm and joyful persona attributed to the holiday icon today. This year, however, the beverage brand is hanging up the fur-trimmed red getup and black belt.

No, Father Christmas isn’t retiring. He’s passing the baton, or contoured glass bottle, to the rest of the world. Coca-Cola’s holiday spot, entitled The World Needs More Santas, encourages everyone to get in touch with their inner Santa and express generosity and kindness in their day-to-day lives.

The endearing commercial, developed by marketing agency WPP Open X and led by creative conglomerate VML, imagines everyone from firefighters to skateboarders, waiters, and taxi drivers as the huggable bearded character with rosy cheeks. Later, the viewer sees that they’re just regular folks like us. The film is set to the song I Could Be Santa Claus by British singer-songwriter Celeste.

In line with the theme of Santa living in all of us, Coca-Cola is launching a Find Your Inner Santa quiz, among other digital and in-person activations.

“Small acts of kindness can make someone’s day, week, or even year, and The World Needs More Santas is all about embracing that behavior. Positive acts cost nothing and can be done in any place at any time,” shares Simon Lloyd, deputy chief creative officer of VMLY&R EMEA.

With the spot being adapted for over 80 markets worldwide, we’ll hopefully see more kindness spill everywhere.