One of Coca-Cola’s most globally successful and popular advertising campaign was launched in 1971, conceived by McCann-Erickson executive Bill Backer. While in an airport in Ireland waiting for his next flight, he saw people in a huddle, chatting and laughing while having their Cokes. Inspired by the sight, he wrote “I’d like to buy the world a Coke..” on a table napkin. He discussed the lyrics with songwriter Roger Cook and Roger Greenaway, who set the words to a tune that they had used before for a song “True Love and Apple Pie” and ha the folk group the New Seekers record it as a Coke radio jingle.
THE NEW SEEKERS' VERSION "I'd Like to Teach The World to Sing"
THE HILLSIDE SINGERS COKE VERSION:
The jingle became a monster hit for the New Seekers (it reached the Billboard Top 15) that a TV commercial was produced entitled “Hilltop” . The band couldn’t make it to the shoot so a new group, The Hillside Singers, were tapped to sing the Coke version of the song.
WATCH "I'D LIKE TO BUY THE WORLD A COKE" TV HERE:
The commercial featured a group of young people from all walks of life, coming together on a hilltop, while holding their Coke and singing to this new version of “‘I’d Like To Teach the World to Sing (In Perfect Harmony). The Hillside Singers earned a Gold Record award from the Recording Industry Association of America. In addition to creating chart-busting records, the Coca Cola campaign went down in history as one of the greatest marketing campaigns of all time.
The ‘Hilltop’ campaign was aired in the Philippines, but a local adaptation of the campaign was done by McCann Erickson in 1972 featuring superstar Nora Aunor no less--then at the pinnacle of her career.
She did a full-tri media campaign, supported by sales promotions (Coke gave away autographed pictures of Guy and her Coke), and music marketing on radio via a full song recording of the hit jingle “I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing”, that was included in one of her long-playing albums under Alpha Records.
Of course, three years later, she was singing a different
tune. Coke was no longer it for Guy—she was having her Pepsi Day!
SOURCES:
https://www.wideopencountry.com/, 'I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing': The Story Behind the Classic Coca-Cola Jingle,
Youtube: “ The New Seekers - I'd Like To Teach The World
To Sing 1972 with Lyrics”, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWKznrEjJK4,
uploaded by islander8
Youtube: Hilltop Remastered, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2406n8_rUw, uploaded by the Coca Cola Company, 4 April 2016.
Youtube: “I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing (1972) by Nora Aunor (HD)” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VJ3hz-nXCQ, uploaded by Edgar Ebro Videokeking2018 on 5 June 2019.
Hillside Singers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASe7ioPis6I, Uploaded by Lorri Hafer, 7 Aug. 2015
The Hillside Singers, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hillside_Singers
Released in 1972 theme song by Miss Nora Aunor for Coca Cola commercial became popular media throughout the world.
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