Share the love
Take a look at vintage Coca‑Cola adverts from Valentine’s Days gone by
Love is in the air at Coca-Cola Great Britain! We’ve picked out our favourite romance-themed Coca-Cola ads in honour of Valentine’s Day. Cue hearts, cupid and Coca-Cola to share...
Valentine's Day and Coca‑Cola advertising
Why Valentine’s Day and Coca-Cola?
Ted Ryan from the Coca-Cola Archives in Atlanta explains: "The best advertising always reflects what is happening in the world at that time. I always compare it to holding a mirror up to society – you can see what hairstyles, fashion, culture and music are popular. At the heritage exhibit at The World of Coca-Cola in Atlanta, we devoted a gallery to 'Lifestyle Advertising', with sections on music, travel, food, work, leisure and other daily areas where Coca-Cola naturally belongs.
"The same is idea is true of special holidays: Coca-Cola naturally belongs. While Valentine’s Day never had the marketing focus from Coca-Cola that Christmas receives, ads with a Valentine’s focus began to be used as early as 1926. Couples sharing Valentine’s cards and gifts or expressing their love have been used since then."
A few of our iconic advertising moments
- The lyrics 'I’d like to buy the world a Coke and keep it company' accompanied our 'Hilltop' ad from 1971 – watch it here!
- Animated polar bears have starred in Coca-Cola ads since 1993
- Our Coca-Cola Christmas trucks have brought festive joy to our TV screens since 1995
