Coca-Cola is bringing Diet Coke and SmartWater into an unexpected setting: a major Hollywood film.
While Coca-Cola’s products frequently appear in films and TV shows, they are rarely featured through promotional deals. However, on May 1, both beverages will be prominently displayed in “The Devil Wears Prada 2,” as part of a collaboration between Coca-Cola and Walt Disney Co., which have a long-standing agreement for discussing potential sponsorships. Other brands are also involved, such as Unilever’s TreSemme, which has a tie-in with the film.
According to Sue Lynne Cha, vice president of water and tea beverages for Coca-Cola, the sequel to the original 2006 film represents a significant moment in fashion and culture. The film, set in a fashion-media environment, offers a fitting backdrop for low-calorie brands like Diet Coke and SmartWater, which are expected to appear seamlessly rather than awkwardly. “What’s exciting about this movie is that not only does it appeal to the original fans like me who love the first movie, but it also attracts a new generation eager to connect,” she says.
This week, viewers in the United Kingdom will begin seeing promotional videos from Diet Coke for “The Devil Wears Prada 2.” Similarly, Coca-Cola’s SmartWater will have its own tie-in with the movie.
Diet Coke will unveil special slim cans and a custom advertisement set in the “Runway” media offices, which are central to the film’s plot. The ad will highlight a Diet Coke break as a moment of pause in the fashion world and will feature localized elements across the U.S., the U.K., and other areas. Meanwhile, SmartWater plans to launch a digital experience offering consumers a chance to win rewards, including a limited edition bottle.
Featuring multiple products from a single sponsor in a film is not common practice. Yet, Coca-Cola executives explain that their customers typically consume a variety of products throughout the day. “If you think about your normal consumption day, you don’t drink just one product all day,” says Stacy Jackson, vice president, Coca‑Cola Trademark. “We recognize that the consumer actually takes more of a portfolio view.”
Coca-Cola, known for its slogan about adding life to media, has a history of impactful sponsorships, including its support for “American Idol” on Fox and the 2019 re-launch of New Coke in collaboration with the Netflix series “Stranger Things.”
Jackson notes that Coca-Cola carefully selects such partnerships. “We’re so intentional about making this so real and earned, and not engineered,” she explains. According to her, arranging sponsorships is a rare practice for the beverage giant. “We don’t do that very often.”
