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Coca-Cola – bringing cross-border smiles to India and Pakistan

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I recently read that if the average person was lucky enough to be granted three wishes by a genie, the number one choice was actually “world peace” rather than “a massive amount of money”. Presumably “an infinite number of wishes” wasn’t allowed…

Looking at various socio-political situations around the world, it would take an army of genies to get the “world peace” wish beyond the planning stage. But Coca-Cola is finding its own ways of trying to break down the barriers.

These efforts took the form of “Small World Machines” – an initiative that involved the Coca-Cola offices in New Delhi, India and Lahore, Pakistan – two countries where relations have been strained for decades. Running along the same lines as their “share happiness” theme, Coca-Cola made an accompanying 3-minute film about how the idea came to fruition back in June 2013.

“It seems that a lot of the strife would go away if you took away the barbed wire between the two countries,” comments one resident.

“There’s no communication. They’re near us but we have no access to them. And it’s sad because, together, I think we would do wonders,” muses another.

So how did Coke try to help break down these barriers? That’s where the Small World Machines come in – a creative initiative to help residents of each country bond over a shared experience and a drink, creating a simple moment of connection in real time but in different countries. The ultimate message is:

“What unites us is stronger than what divides us.”

By offering these “rivals” a fun opportunity to share a moment and a drink, Coke puts forward the message that, “A moment of happiness has the power to bring the world closer together.”

So how does it work? Well, it’s like Skype but on a much more sophisticated scale. With a Small World Machine in Lahore and one in New Delhi, the participant at each location has to simultaneously perform a series of actions: joining hands by touching the screen in the same spot, waving at each other, or maybe even performing a dance. They also trace shapes on the screen together – peace signs, love hearts and smiley faces.

Granted, this may sound quite happy-clappy and, dare I say, naïve and sugary. It certainly did to me – all six teaspoons per can – especially when each party was rewarded at the end of their waving, tracing or dancing efforts with a can of Coca-Cola being dispensed (does it remind you of dog training, by any chance?)

So, a PR stunt, a bit of fun, or a serious message? In truth, it’s probably all three – though the latter is still possibly a little sentimental to carry any real weight or have any lasting effect beyond the people who took part in the experience.

“If I have any opportunity to go to India, I’ll surely go there,” observes one starry-eyed contributor. Well, I guess if it breaks down barriers even at a smaller level, that can only be a good thing.

You can watch the whole 3-minute video here:

 

by Ashley Morrison

Ashley is a copywriter, editor and blogger

Follow Ashley on Twitter

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