A new Coca-Cola commercial from Argentina perfectly sums up the highs and lows of becoming a parent for the first time
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It’s sometimes hard to regard pieces of advertising as creative works of art. Sure, I love a good Superbowl commercial as much as the next guy, but, when something is so blatantly trying to sell you on a concept (be it homeowner’s insurance, the superiority of Chevys, or Splenda), it tends to inspire more skepticism than honest emotion. That’s why, when you do see a really, really good ad, it can be a truly impressive thing to behold. And that’s how I felt when I saw this fantastic commercial from South America for Coca-Cola Life, a new “green” soda that debuted in Argentina last year.
Forget about the product, the campaign, or the new recyclable bottle that’s made with 30% plant material. This one-minute commercial is one of the best short films about being a parent that I’ve ever seen. Like a more carbonated-version of the opening montage from Pixar’s Up, the ad follows a happy couple as they learn about parenting firsthand. The excitement, the vast amounts of “stuff,” the co-sleeping, the exhaustion, the beautiful simpatico moments when you share a knowing look with your kid for the first time. And the best part is the end—the father learns that they’re having another child and his face contorts with emotion. At first, it seems like a shriek of terror, a scream of “Dear God, No”, but it ever so subtly shifts and deepens and turns into an exclamation of pure parental joy. It’s a helluva acting moment, maybe my favorite since Tom Hanks’ final scene in Captain Phillips, and it rings perfectly and totally true on an emotional level, which is an impressive accomplishment for commercial for sugar-water, even if it is sugar-water with more natural sugars and a fancy green label.
Take a look for yourself and see if you think this ad captures the mad joys and sorrows of being a parent. And, if you’ve tried the Green Coke, let me know in the comments section below. Is it good? Thanks to that stupid ad, I now want one… and maybe another kid. (Dammit, advertising is effective.)