Coca-Cola's iconic 1971 'Hilltop' commercial 'I'd like to buy the world a Coke'

When will we learn?... Coca-Cola have the social catalyst that can bring people together. Coke has the answer for all issues we face in a world to bring love, peace and unity to our broken world. Inspired while grounded at Ireland’s Shannon Airport in 1971, Bill Backer of McCann Erickson Advertising noticed a diverse crowd of passengers chatting and joking with one another while sipping on bottles of Coca-Cola — It’s the real thing!

When will we learn? We live in a world that often feels divided, distracted and disconnected, yet every so often, a simple moment reminds us how easily human beings can come together. Coca-Cola, for all its commercial power and global reach, has long held a unique social catalyst, the ability to bring people into a shared emotional space. Whether intentionally or by accident, the brand has, for decades, tapped into something profoundly human: our desire for connection, unity and a sense of belonging.

It’s tempting to think of Coca-Cola purely as a soft drink, a sugary red-labelled bottle that sits on shelves in every corner of the world. But beyond the product lies a cultural force that has shaped music, media, advertising, and even the way we imagine togetherness. Coke has, time and again, positioned itself as the answer to the emotional issues we face - not through policy, speeches or grand gestures, but through moments of shared experience. In a world that feels increasingly fractured, the brand often returns to the same message: love, peace and unity are possible, and sometimes all it takes to spark them is something as ordinary as a drink shared between strangers.

One of the most iconic examples of this came in 1971 at Ireland’s Shannon Airport. A thick fog had grounded flights, leaving passengers from all over the world stranded, tired and frustrated. Bill Backer of McCann Erickson Advertising, already a creative mind attuned to the subtleties of human behaviour, observed something remarkable. As hours passed and patience wore thin, small acts of human warmth began to surface. People who had nothing in common, who didn’t speak the same language or share the same cultural background, were suddenly laughing, chatting and forming unexpected connections. And in many hands, Backer noticed, were bottles of Coca-Cola.

It wasn’t the drink itself that transformed the mood - it was the symbolism! The bottle became a shared reference point, a familiar object carried across borders and cultures. In that airport lounge, it represented normality, comfort and common ground. Backer realised that Coca-Cola wasn’t selling a product; it was selling a feeling. Out of that insight emerged one of the most famous advertising messages of all time: “It’s the real thing.” It suggested authenticity, universality, and the idea that even in tension or uncertainty, there is something genuine that connects us all.

From this moment of grounded travellers came the inspiration for “I’d Like to Buy the World a Coke,” an anthem for unity that resonated across the globe. It wasn’t just an advert; it was a cultural declaration. The world, even then, was turbulent, divided and searching for hope. The ad captured a longing that still echoes today: the wish that humanity could look past its differences and find common kindness.

Perhaps the real lesson is not that Coca-Cola has the answer to every issue, but that it reveals something important about ourselves. We already carry the capacity for unity. Sometimes, we just need a reminder. Something real, something shared — to bring it out...

Perception.Co™