Yesterday we wrote about Marco Rubio’s reaction to the finale of Mad Men, including its use of the iconic Coca-Cola “Hilltop” commercial.
AdWeek reported that the creator of Mad Men had planned the use of the ad years ago, but that “No Money Changed Hands!” for the use of the ad. AdWeek cited this quote as confirmation that Coca-Cola was not paid for the ad.
That doesn’t sound very business savvy for something planned for years involving a major cable network, production company, and beverage conglomerate. Are we to take it that the hippie commercial was so inspiring that all involved just gave the free advertising away to Coke?
Or did Ad Age just not ask the right follow-up questions? Here are…
3 Follow Up Questions We Would Have Asked
1. By “hands” are you literally referring to hands, and not digital transmissions? If so, kudos, we’d like to shake your hand! Literally.
2. Did shares of a company like LionsGate or AMC change hands? Because shares aren’t money, just as corporations don’t have hands, even if they are legally considered to be “people.”
3. Did someone at least get a gift card for a free life-time supply of Coca-Cola fountain drinks from a local Subway restaurant Coke Freestyle Machine? (If not, it seems Coke really meant they’d like the hippie people in the commercial to buy the world a Coke… and not the Corporation, which is also a person, to buy the world or even a few TV producers a Coke.)
