Nobody understood it. Everyone got it.

“Most didn’t understand a word. But everybody understood THE word.”

My friend Kryštof shared this Coca-Cola case study and it stuck in my head.

Coca-Cola ran radio ads, but not in normal languages.

They used the least spoken languages in each country. Languages almost nobody understands.

So people turned on the radio and heard something they couldn’t follow.

Korean in Mexico.
Polish in Türkiye.
French in the UAE.
No context, no story, no clue.

Until one word appeared.

Coca-Cola.

And suddenly, it made sense.

They didn’t explain the brand. They revealed it.

Coca-Cola is one of the most understood words in the world. Right after “OK”.

And instead of saying it louder, they made everything else quieter.

That’s why it works.

I’ve been thinking about this more than I expected.

Because when I started at Red Bull, radio, print, outdoor, TV… that was the game. Digital was the small piece (well, it was my small piece).

Now it’s the opposite. Everyone is in digital. Faster, cheaper, measurable.

And the old formats are left behind. Or used without ideas. In the very same way as they were 20 years ago.

But this is where it gets interesting.

Because a strong idea doesn’t depend on the format. It exposes it.

This campaign only works in radio. That’s the point. You can’t skip it. You can’t scroll. You either get it or you don’t.

And when you do, it sticks.

Since I saw it, I keep thinking about one thing.

What would a radio ad sound like in a language I don’t understand at all.

Just noise. Sentences I can’t follow.

And then suddenly three words cut through.

Life is Porno.

Everything else could be gibberish.

Doesn’t matter.

If those three words land, the brand lands.

That’s the game.

Not louder. Not more.

Clear enough to be recognized even when nothing else is.

Should we give it a try?

Carpe diem,
Tino