Celeb Deepika Padukone bonds with her fan in new Coke Elevator ad

Coca-Cola India today launched the localised ‘Elevator’ commercial under the “Taste the Feeling” campaign suitably adapted for the Indian audience. The campaign is in tune with Coca-Cola’s “One Brand” strategy to unify all Coca-Cola trademark brands under one creative approach. The narrative draws upon the significance of Coke in breaking the ice between a celebrity and their fan stranded in a stuck elevator and acting as a catalyst of social bonding. 

The story opens with Deepika Padukone being followed by photographers outside a hotel. She escapes them by entering an elevator, which breaks down abruptly. A room service attendant in the same dysfunctional elevator promptly offers a chilled Coke to a hassled Deepika. This helps in lightening up the environment and breaking the ice between a sought-after celebrity and a common person. The ad is accentuated by cheerful music and youthful energy that underlines the essence of the Brand Coke. Coke is at the centre of the advertisement, which is designed to spread the message of breaking social barriers to foster a strong connect with each other and the carefree spirit within us. 

The campaign has been digitally launched with teasers featuring Deepika Padukone. It will be subsequently hyper-localised for Punjab with Diljit Dosanjh in the star cast. Short videos and clips of different duration have been carefully planned for multiple platforms and consumer touch points. This will be followed by a pilot run of the on-ground consumer engagement activities leveraging 3D hologram technology. The consumers may also get a chance to meet their favourite stars by participating in many contests and activities that the company is planning. 

Explaining the thought behind the campaign, Debabrata Mukherjee, VP - Marketing, Coca-Cola India, added, “Coca-Cola is a simple pleasure that creates memorable moments out of ordinary ones. We have added local flavour to our global ‘Elevator’ campaign and created what we believe is a highly engaging communication. While the countries and places may differ, the simple pleasure of enjoying a Coke remains universal. The ad is truly enjoyable due to celebrity quotient of Deepika Padukone, upbeat music, great storytelling and a positive message that no matter what you do, you can always bond over Coca-Cola.” 

Highlighting the thought behind the campaign, Prasoon Joshi, Chairman Asia Pacific, CEO & Chief Creative Officer - India, McCann, who supervised the creatives of the campaign, said, “The new Coca-Cola Elevator campaign captures a tale of togetherness between total strangers. The light-hearted film features Deepika Padukone as herself, where a fan bumps into his heart-throb in an elevator. Coca-Cola breaks the ice and makes the connection between the celebrity and the awe-struck fan special. The choice of music and dance make the film truly enjoyable.” 

Sharing her experience, Deepika said, “Shooting for this campaign was so much fun. It’s a situation I could completely identify with and I think the bond between two people has been captured beautifully!” 

Campaign credits: 

Creative Agency:

Prasoon Joshi, Chairman Asia Pacific, CEO & Chief Creative Officer India

Prateek Bhardwaj, National Creative Director

Kapil Batra, Creative Head, McCann Delhi

Jeet Kalra, Creative Head - Films

Sameer Kumar, Creative Team Leader

Production House:

Hemant Bhandari, Director, Chrome Pictures