Coca-Cola’s iconic glass bottle celebrates its 110th birthday, with a sun-drenched, silhouette-driven campaign reminding us why simple always sells
In a marketing world saturated with noise, Coca-Cola has chosen to let the sun — and its legendary bottle — do the talking.
The soft drink giant has just launched ‘Shadows’, a stripped-back out-of-home campaign designed to celebrate the silhouette of its famous glass bottle, coinciding with its 110th anniversary.
Developed by WPP Open X, the work embraces spring and summer with sun-washed imagery that quietly but powerfully reinforces Coca-Cola’s place in our collective memory.
Rather than flashy slogans or celebrity endorsements, ‘Shadows’ relies on the pure, universal magic of sunlight and nostalgia.
The distinctive Coke bottle shape appears as shadows cast across tiles, shimmering pool reflections, and patches of grass — a simple yet emotionally evocative reminder of summer refreshment.
“This milestone anniversary marks the significance of the classic Coca-Cola glass bottle — it’s a design icon that embodies the spirit of our brand,” said Islam El-Dessouky, Coca-Cola’s global VP of creative strategy and content.
“This campaign captures the Coca-Cola bottle set against vibrant backdrops, reminding us of the timeless refreshment and joy that Coca-Cola brings to every season.”
It’s a minimalist masterstroke: rather than reinventing the wheel, Coca-Cola doubles down on what has made it iconic for over a century.
“The Coca-Cola bottle is more than just a shape; it’s a symbol etched in our collective memory. Shadows is a beautiful celebration of the brand’s iconicity and a powerful reminder of joy, refreshment, and timeless appeal,” adds Jules Chalkley, Chief Executive Creative Director at Ogilvy UK.
Rolling out across key European markets like the UK, Belgium, Denmark, and Germany, the campaign is also supported by digital out-of-home executions that cleverly interact with the movement of the sun — allowing the silhouette to shift and dance naturally throughout the day.
In an era of ever-busier brand communications, Coca-Cola’s ‘Shadows’ reminds marketers of a powerful truth: when you have a truly iconic asset, sometimes all you need to do is let it shine.
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he APPIES is an annual event that presents a rare opportunity for creative, media, digital and marketing agencies or brands to present their best campaigns to the industry.
This is the only event where Live Presentations meets Live Judging.
Similar to TED Talks, The APPIES is the chance for great presenters with outstanding work to show it off to some of the industry’s most important industry leaders.
This year’s winners will receive Gold, Silver or Bronze trophies for 21 categories, and 6 special Best of Best categories (red trophies) that require no submissions!
Campaign entries must have run between June 2024 to May 2025
