feeling listless

Advertising "I'd Like to Buy the World a Coke" A comprehensive article describing the making of the tv commercial. It was dogged by the kind of bad luck which would effect the British fim industry for some decades:

"Because London had been the song's starting point, the ad's creators decided that the "green hill" of its setting should be the storied cliffs of Dover on England's southern coast. By March, 1971, a McCann production crew including Billy Davis, Harvey Gabor, and agency producer Phil Messina traveled with photographer/director Haskell Wexler to England to begin work. The chorus, they decided, would consist of several thousand British school children and would feature sixty-five principals who would be seen at close range. The children were cast and rehearsed "lip synching"­moving their lips silently as though they were singing—to the New Seekers rendition of the song. Filming was set to begin on April 8, but three days of continuous rain, with more forecast, forced postponements. The McCann staff decided to move the shoot to Rome, which promised a more favorable climate."

Like Doctor Who I think everyone has the Coke ad they remember and for me it featured Robin Beck's First Time (I was about fourteen). I bought the single (on vinyl) so it's probably my fault it reached number one. I aspired to one of the accompanying magazine images of an all American girl sitting out on a massive window ledge drinking a Coke. It was something to aspire to (having the window ledge. And the girl if I'm was being perfectly honest). To bring things full circle, it seems the the British film industry is having an upturn, so if they want to create the advert for a new audience (no doubt with a garage remix recorded by Liberty X) now would be the perfect time.