Coca Cola Lorry promotes Killer Coke
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DID YOU KNOW:
The original Coca-Cola Christmas Advert was made in 1995 using just 3 18-wheel props and about 90,000 lightbulbs.
The illuminated vehicles were made even more ‘enchanting’ with special effects by the world-famous Industrial Light and Magic – who had previously worked on Star Wars and Raiders of the Lost Ark.
In 1999 ‘Journey’, the fourth advert in the Coca‑Cola truck series, was released. The footage sees the trucks spring to life in front of a young boy and his grandfather as they sit at home reading a Christmas storybook. The advert was filmed in snowy Vancouver, Canada using three trucks (which computer generation later made look like a never-ending fleet of trucks), and a cast of 40 people
My sense with coca cola comes from my own experiences of it. At one point when I was a teenager, I was drinking 3 or 4 2 litre bottles a DAY. If I went a day without, I would have visible withdrawals. I would get the shakes constantly until I had coca cola. Nothing else did it, it had to be coca cola. As I got older, I gradually weaned myself off it. It didn’t help that the E numbers made me hyper either lol. I do still drink a lot of fizzy pop but now I tend to drink Pepsi Max more than anything else and I don’t get the shakes without it.
Based on that, my son is allowed an occasional drink of coke as a treat.. a rare treat. He doesn’t miss it, he doesn’t get hyper and he isn’t addicted to it. In fact, he’s rather a glass of water or milk thankfully.
but the truck.. he loved it. It was all lit up and shining and it has been the highlight of his year so far (apart from his baby sister of course).
Whether people agree with how coca cola is run or what they do or any of that, it doesn’t matter. What matters to me is my sons face light up because he got off the bus in town and saw the truck parked up. THAT matters to me, nothing else.
@99DylanJones 16917 wrote:
JoJO glad to hear your views and that you didn’t have coke for your son — you clearly sound like a very sensible mum.
If you are religious, I’m sure the start of Christmas will be the sight of nativity scenes and carols being sung. If you’re not religious, you may not care too much about things like that at all.
The coke truck has very little to do with christmas, but since the “holidays are coming” ad on TV, its has become a tradition that once you see it, you know christmas is coming. Whether you agree with that symbolisation or not really doesn’t matter. The fact is, it is now becoming a tradition and like everything else in this world, traditions are subject to change.
Putting the symbolisation of the truck aside, the revenue it has made for the town is what is important to Wrexham and I think that is being forgotten.
@JaneJ 16928 wrote:
This is not really about telling people what to do but trying to ensure that people are informed so that they can make judgement rather than being dragged into a single view because a company has a massive marketing campaign.
I am sad however to see one reply saying the Coke wagon as a symbol for the start of Christmas — I thought school nativity preparations, making Christmas cards and decorations and learning carols was the traditional way children built up to the Christmas spirit.
Turning a red lorry into a ‘celebrity’ is very bizarre. I look forward to seeing it being driven onto the stage for the next edition of Britain’s Got Talent!!See now none of that interests me as I am not a religion person. If it wasn’t for my kids, I wouldn’t be doing anything as I am a complete scrooge and hate Christmas lol
@zinger 16934 wrote:
Christmas begins for me when I hear the Salvation Band playing carols in town, going to the first carol service and as you say Nativity plays.
It’s all just a very clever ploy by Coca Cola to sell their product (typically associated with hot weather and summer time) in the winter.
It’s to how Hallmark advertised cards on Mothers/Fathers and Valentines days, outside of the typical holiday season.
Similarly, in the 40s, the De Beers diamond cartel were able to associate diamond rings with engagement proposals to the extent that they still are.
I was interested to read the thread started by JaneJ as I have been labelled a”Christmas curmudgeon ” by some in Wrexham Council for pointing out the disparity of one department promoting ” healthy eating” and another helping to promote something with questionable nutritional value.
Ask your dentist -if you still need them.I also had a little moan about a) the commercialisation of Christmas and b) the Americanisation of Christmas and was told that Coca Cola ” invented ” Santa’s red suit. Tosh! Check the history of St Nicholas ,bishop of Myra and the various European traditions.
Yours Scrooge like
Andrew- well done for standing up for things that you feel shows no unity in the Council– I am sure the staff that deal with Healthy School initiatives etc would be please to hear that at least one Councilor supports all the fantastic work they undertake. It is such a shame that there cant be a single approach.
It might be real nit picking but the Department that supported the Coke vehicle have also had their own notice board made for the bottom of the Christmas tree in Queens Square just wishing people Christmas wishes from THEIR Department – they cant even see themselves as part of the whole Council for something like this.
It is no wonder that staff are feeling they work in an institution full of silos and feel undervalued.
(Sorry this rant has moved away from the Coke thread but working with the Council gets you in this mood)Council figures for the cost of having the Coca Cola lorry are attached — it is astonishing that there was no charge for Queens Square as any other user are normally charged– https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/coca_cola?nocache=incoming-595044#incoming-595044
So much for the Council being shirt of cash when they could have put a charge against a multi million pound company that could have then gone to cover the costs of some of the other Christmas activities.@JaneJ 17059 wrote:
Council figures for the cost of having the Coca Cola lorry are attached — it is astonishing that there was no charge for Queens Square as any other user are normally charged– https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/coca_cola?nocache=incoming-595044#incoming-595044
So much for the Council being shirt of cash when they could have put a charge against a multi million pound company that could have then gone to cover the costs of some of the other Christmas activities.I would imagine the crowds coming in to town more than made up for any lost revenue. The car parks were full, and I presume shops and cafes probably did well out of it.
Seldom, if ever, have I read such a dog in a manger attitude displayed and pursued to further a personal crusade, than that of JaneJ’s.
Rather than being ‘astonished’ that no charge was levied for the use Queens Square, what does astonish me is the fact that she, irrespective of the cost to WCBC, put in an FOI request, to prove absolutely nothing. She makes mention of a cash strapped Council not recouping costs from the use of the pitch, but no mention is made of the additional costs incurred by providing the information she requested.
Hundreds, if not thousands (children and adults alike) were thrilled to see a big shiny lorry bedecked in lights helping to provide a festive atmosphere on what was a pleasant and memorable day.
In the opening post, she herself, said that some might consider her to be a humbug for raising the issue- never has a truer word been said, even in jest.
I am sure that parents are savvy enough to make up their own minds as to what is suitable for their children to ingest without pontification from those with a questionable vested interest.
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