Coke gives Santa a makeover

Coke gives Santa a makeoverCoca-Cola has “modernised and updated” its iconic Santa Claus, first created by US agency Haddon Sundblom for its advertising 75 years ago.

Coca-Cola has “modernised and updated” its iconic Santa Claus, first created by US agency Haddon Sundblom for its advertising 75 years ago.

Santa has been updated by Swedish artist, Mikael Erikkson, and will appear in a series of outdoor ads as part of Coke’s Christmas campaign. The ads, which have been adapted by Mother, show Santa in contemporary settings, such as getting the Coca-Cola truck ready for Christmas. The first will break this week.

Coke is also launching a reworked version of its long-running “The Holidays are Coming” TV ad, which launches this week too. It will bring back its “Greatest Gift” campaign, which shows a girl receiving a Christmas bottle of Coke from Santa throughout her life. It will break on December 1.

A digital campaign, created by AKQA, will include virtual Christmas “cards”; a Google maps application, which allows users to decorate houses with sparkling virtual Christmas lights; and a “gift-giving” application on Facebook.