Coca-Cola - Bucharest is magic

In a nutshell

While competitor brands managed to secure more Horeca partnerships in Bucharest, Coca-Cola wanted to improve brand preference and strengthen its cultural relevance in association with local street foods and iconic hangout places, owning the hearts of Gen Z in Bucharest.

Partnering with female pop-artist Nicole Cherry, we rewrote the most iconic song about the city (dating from the 1930s) with a chorus everyone knows by heart.

We refreshed the old lyrics with contemporary reasons to love Bucharest and its people, celebrating the contrasts of the city and the magic of differences that bring us together. A campaign that invited everyone to co-create the headlines & celebrate the city together in special OOH & content projects for one year.

VML Romania 2024

Red map background with the text 'Bucurestiul & magic' in the center and a white decorative element at the bottom right.
An outdoor billboard featuring two young women smiling and taking a selfie, with a city street background. The billboard includes Coca-Cola branding. Next to the image, there is a red section with Romanian text promoting a school in Bucharest.
A glass Coca-Cola Zero Sugar bottle with condensation droplets on a red background.

Coke-creating

We launched an open question: “What makes Bucharest magic?” and gathered everyone’s answers online.

Partnering with content creators, we showcased small businesses, vibrant subcultures, local flavours & hidden gems in the city.

A young woman with light brown hair styled in buns, wearing a white fuzzy jacket and holding a Coca-Cola can, stands on a city street at night in front of a decorated building with Christmas lights, wreaths, and ornaments with a large Christmas tree in the background.
Red and white logo with text 'Bucureștiul e magic'
A collage of various scenes from Bucharest, Romania, including city streets, buildings, and people, with a red text overlay that says 'Bucharest is magic.'

2 million stories in the city. An open invitation for everyone to celebrate the magic of differences.

From social content to the streets

People’s answers became the headlines of the campaign.

A man holding a microphone interviews a woman on a city street. The woman is wearing a tan coat, and the man is wearing sunglasses and a black jacket. In the background, historic buildings and pedestrians are visible.
A street scene in Bucharest, Romania, with cars, a cyclist, and a monument featuring four statues and a winged figure, partially covered by a red sign with a city map pattern and the text "Bucureştiul e Magic."

Launched in front of 50.000 people with a live projection mapping show on the most iconic building in Bucharest (The House of Parliament) at iMapp Bucharest.

Nighttime view of Parliament Palace in Bucharest illuminated with red lights, with the words 'Bucharest is magic' projected on its facade.
A large building is illuminated with red lights, displaying a projection of the Coca Cola logo along with hearts and bottles on its facade at night.
Three young adults enjoying a sunny day in Bucharest, Romania. Two are sitting on a concrete ledge and one is standing, all holding Coca-Cola bottles. The woman on the left wears a red hoodie and beige pants, smiling at the man sitting beside her. The man sitting is in black clothing, smiling back. The standing man wears a denim jacket, gray sweatpants, and headphones, holding a Coca-Cola and an ice cream cone, smiling down at the sitting pair. The background features historic buildings and a clear blue sky, with the Coca-Cola logo and slogan on the left side of the image.
Two young women taking a selfie on a city street in Bucharest, Romania, with Coca-Cola branding visible on a building and can, holding snacks and wearing casual clothing, with a red promotional banner on the left side.
A Coca-Cola advertisement featuring a young man and woman standing outdoors in front of a historic building in Bucharest, Romania, with the woman wearing sunglasses and holding a can of Coca-Cola. The left side has a red background with white Romanian text.
Two young men in an urban square with a monument, one wearing sunglasses and holding a can of Coca-Cola, the other with a skateboard, under a blue sky with clouds, advertising Coca-Cola in Romanian.
Nighttime protest in Bucharest with large crowd, signs, and a prominent advertising billboard with the message in Romanian: "Friends, get to know Bucharest around the world, the city of magic."
The Coca-Cola logo with white script on a red circle background.

The most heartwarming billboard message during street protests that divided the country in November 2024.

Red background with Coca-Cola logo, Romanian text about Shaorma in Bucharest, and a small copyright notice at the bottom.
Red background with Coca-Cola logo and two black bottles in the center. Romanian text promoting Budapest as a city of magic, comparing city lights to the magic of Budapest.