Coke's New Super Bowl Ad Will Air Right Before The National Anthem For A Big Reason

You may have noticed that a few major companies have already started releasing their Super Bowl ads, and thus far, one of the best I've seen is Coca-Cola's. Their illustrations are straight-up gorgeous, I love the message of bringing people together, and most importantly, the script is super cute. In fact, the poem in Coke's 2019 Super Bowl ad is actually inspired by Andy Warhol. Seriously — it's incredibly artistic, and definitely one of the more memorable clips I've seen this year.

Aside from getting the chance to eat tons of food, shout, and drink beer, I really love the fact that the Super Bowl brings friends and families together... and apparently, Coca-Cola is all about that that aspect of it all, too. According to a press release, the beverage brand pre-released their 60-second Super Bowl ad titled "A Coke is a Coke," and it's set to air just before the Super Bowl kickoff, which coincidentally will be hosted in Coca-Cola's hometown of Atlanta, Georgia. Anyway, while everything about the spot is gorgeous, the poem was apparently inspired by a quote from American pop artist, Andy Warhol, way back in 1975.

According to the press release, Warhol's original quote was:

We all have different hearts and hands; heads holding various views. Don't you see? Different is beautiful. And, together is beautiful, too.

Take a look at the video below to see how the ad expanded Warhol's quote into a poem. It's super sweet.

Wow. I'm not crying, you're crying.

For the most part, our nation seems endlessly divided. As the country struggles with issues like the continued effects of racism and discrimination, family separations at the southern border, and the ongoing government shutdown leaves federal workers resorting to food banks, many may be looking for something to give us a little sense of togetherness. And while a simple commercial isn't able fix any of those ongoing issues, the message behind Coca-Cola's sweet advertisement evokes a message of love and unification, in the most uplifting way possible. One line sums it up perfectly, "different is beautiful, and together is beautiful, too," and I — personally — am a really big fan.

In the press release, Stuart Kronauge, the President, Sparkling Business Unit, and Senior Vice President of Marketing of Coca-Cola North America explained the brand strives to represent positivity and inclusivity, especially through this specific commercial. So, they plan to air it right before the national anthem — when most of the country comes together to sing about American unity. The national anthem has emerged as the focus in the controversy around NFL players' protests against police brutality and racial bias in law enforcement, which used the action of kneeling during the anthem at major sporting events to highlight the issue. The protest was initially started by former 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick in 2016, and later spread across the professional sports world with other players and teams acting out their own protests. Many, however, saw the protests as disrespectful to the flag and veterans who fought for America, prompting an intense debate about how to peacefully protest.

In the press release, Kronauge said:

Coca-Cola is a brand built on optimism, diversity and inclusion. We have a long history of using the country’s biggest advertising stage to share a message of unity and positivity, especially at times when our nation feels divided. This year, we decided to place our ad just before the national anthem as Americans come together in their living rooms to remind everyone that ‘together is beautiful.'

The ad includes a number of original animated characters, according to the press release. There is “Beans the Chef,” “Freddy the Yeti” and “Abigail the Bird Girl." Each is super adorable, and reminds audience members that celebrating differences — whether it's race, ideas, age, or gender — is key. IMO, it's really, really sweet.

Regardless of what your Super Bowl plans are, hopefully they include getting together with loved ones. And although I will most likely be perusing the snack table for the majority of it all, I know I'll be surrounded by all of my best buds. In the end, though, that's what really matters.