2019 Winners & Shortlists

Write a short summary of what happens in the film.

"Sunset" is a fist a velvet glove; a softly-spoken story that's a striking counterpoint to the world around us. Through an evening in the day of a young Muslim, fasting from pre-dawn to pre-dusk abroad, away from home, "Sunset" explains the Muslim tradition of fasting during Ramadan. The story embodies the optimistic spirit of Coca-Cola but doesn’t shy away from tough topics either. It shows the challenges Muslims face abroad given the rise of Islamophobia, as the young Muslim is mocked for wearing a headscarf and treated with prejudice by judgemental passers-by. But, "Sunset" also shows the inviolable beauty of respect and acceptance, as the young Muslim finds unexpected empathy and support from a thoughtful stranger, a non-Muslim. Closing with "What binds us together is bigger than what divides us", Coca-Cola shares how our empathy and our shared humanity should be bigger and stronger than the prejudices that divide us.

Cultural/Context information for the jury

Around our world, Coca-Cola has always been a leader in sharing statements against cultural inequalities. Against war, with the iconic ‘Hilltop’ song. Against racism with ‘Mean Joe Green’. Against uncertainties with ‘Reasons to Believe’. Against stereotypes with ‘Remove Labels’. Always showing the power of our shared humanity. In 2018, we got Coca-Cola to focus on a tension that has split humanity apart: ISLAMOPHOBIA. Islamophobia is on the rise, with Muslims facing prejudice, hate and violence around our world. But, amidst all the hate, there’s still hope, as many non-Muslims abroad are against the prejudice shown towards Muslims. So, during Ramadan, the Middle East’s Super Bowl and a month of unity and togetherness, with Coca-Cola needing an uplift and the category declining, we didn't blend in with regional brands creating campaigns. We got Coca-Cola to step outside our region, telling an untold story, about Ramadan abroad, for someone from our region.

Tell the jury about the choice of music track.

For inspiration behind the music track. we looked at another iconic music track from Coca-Cola: 1971's "Hilltop". It's sentiment and message was exactly the same as that of "Sunset". It showed how we're better together and united, than we are apart. So, we took the core of "Hilltop", added (subtle) Middle Eastern instrumentals to it and re-imagined "Hilltop" visually and musically. The nod to the Hilltop track from 1971 was significant, as we are currently in times when one cannot emphasize enough the values of harmony, peace and love, no matter what our nationality or religion. Also, the lyrics were changed from “I’d like to TEACH the world to sing” to “I’d like to HEAR the whole world sing”, as we did not want to take a moral high ground. We simply wanted Coca-Cola to share what it stands for, and propagate a message of connecting, understanding and harmony.