69. LILET, IN COKE’S “TOMORROW’S PEOPLE” TVC (1987)

LILET, AND HER MESSAGE OF HOPE FROM COCA COLA. Print ad. 1987

In 1986, Coca-Cola launched a new international advertising campaign—“Tomorrow’s People”, which put the spotlight on young people as the “hope of the world”. Several countries were picked to have their own local version—like Peru, Colombia, Brazil, China, Korea, Japanese, Germany, Argentina, Portugal--and of course, the Philippines. When Coca-Cola embarked on a worldwide search for the lead singer of each country, Lilet’s voice tape was recommended for approval by the local Coke agency, McCann-Erickson Philippines.

LILET'S COKE TVC, English version, 1987

The rising teen star, a mainstay of the popular TV variety show, “That’s Entertainment”, was chosen to go to Liverpool, England to shoot the Philippine version of the popular Coke commercial. “Tomorrow’s People”, was shot in Liverpool over a period of 3 days.

Each country talent—in this case, Lilet-- started off the commercial, by singing the first few lines of the ‘anthem’—“I am the future of the world, I am the hope of my nation, I am tomorrow’s people, I am the new inspiration..”. Lilet was then joined by about a thousand young kids who were paid 96 pounds and given all the Coke they could drink.

LILET'S COKE TVC, Pilipino version

When the local version was aired in 1987, Lilet’s popularity soared. McCann-Erickson had to hurriedly shoot a second all-Filipino version of “Tomorrow’s People”, with the jingle translated in Pilipino. Hundreds of Filipino kids were assembled in an outdoor location to join Lilet, replicating the original English version.

 The idea of an international shooting for a local version of a campaign was something new and unexpected then. It used to be that the local agency just shot its own version, following the global ad, frame by frame. So Lilet’s commercial was met with much excitement and national pride.

TOMORROW HAS COME FOR LILET. Then, and Now.

Of course, rival Pepsi Cola followed suit with its “The Choice of the New Generation Campaign”, that followed the same formula, but this one, even better. In Pepsi’s case, an international star was assigned to perform with a local artist. For the Philippine version, rocker Gino Padilla was handpicked to sing with the legendary Tina Turner. But nobody can deny that Coca Cola’s “Tomorrow’s People” had more heart, with a sincere message delivered simply and memorably by the voices of the world’s youth, led by a Filipina teen, Lilet.

 Sources: 
youtube:
Coke Classic Filipino Ad, uploaded by ADman1909
Lilet and That Coke Advertisement, uploaded by Oliver Damian 

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 Photos: https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=44530129