Ad agency ‘finds’ Danish flag in Coke logo

Some 2,400 Coke-branded Danish flags waved at the airport in a marketing stunt, which Pia Kjærsgaard calls “a big compliment” to Denmark

The Danish flag, Dannebrog, was recently found some place no-one ever thought to look: in the Coca-Cola logo. The new 'discovery' was made by the Danish advertising company McCann Copenhagen.

Taking advantage of Denmark's reputation as the happiest country in the world, McCann approached Coca-Cola with an idea for an advertisement at Copenhagen Airport.

The video put out by the two companies asks the question: "What if we could take this discovery and let Coca-Cola and Denmark spread happiness together?"

As per Danish custom, small flags are frequently waved at airport arrivals gates to welcome people into their country. A large Coca-Cola sign with a flag dispenser was placed near the airport's arrival gate, allowing people to pick the flags straight from the Coca-Cola logo.

The flag comes from the loopy 'o' in 'Cola', and the flags, while they look similar to a Danish flag, feature a bent vertical line. While some consider it a stretch, 2,400 flags – branded with Coke's corporate logo  – were taken from the display.

Dansk Folkeparti, arguably Denmark's most flag-happy political party, praised the ad in a statement to The Copenhagen Post.

"I saw Coca-Cola's wonderful, life-affirming commercial, where the Dannebrog and Coca-Cola practically merge into one, with great interest and pleasure," DF's values spokesperson Pia Kjærsgaard said. "I find the association between the US and its fantastic ideals of freedom, which one feels in Coca-Cola's marketing, and Denmark and our ideals of equality to be unsurpassed. Coca-Cola is extremely good at marketing and I view it as a great compliment to the Danish people that they brand their soft drinks with the Danish flag."

Watch the video here.

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