Review: Coca-Cola 75th Anniversary Anthem Evokes Nostalgia

***Vanessa Obioha *writes that Coca-Cola’s new 75th anniversary campaign song reflects how deeply the brand is intertwined with the everyday moments that shape Nigerians’ memories.

I remember as a child how Coca-Cola was always that drink that was never missing at birthday parties. Sometimes, when my mother returned from work tired, she would ask for a bottle of Coke to refresh herself first. My siblings and I would hover around, waiting for her to call one of us to share the Coke with her.

Imagine my delight, then, when these memories came rushing back while listening to the ‘Coca-Cola 75th Anthem’.

As part of its 75th anniversary in Nigeria, the brand has brought together a 75-man choir, led by Nigerian artiste Johnny Drille, known for his heartfelt songs, to create an anthem that captures its more than seven decades in the country. The 75-member choir is itself symbolic, representing each year the brand has spent in Nigeria.

The four-minute-plus track opens with a chant of “Coca-Cola”, accompanied by an effervescent sound that seems to mimic the bubbles of the drink rushing to the top as a bottle is opened, before it segues into pulsating percussion beats. The effect is almost visceral. It feels like one memory of Coca-Cola after another is rushing through the body, leaving goosebumps in its wake.

From there, Drille’s voice carries the song, capturing the brand’s enduring presence in Nigeria. Each hook and line tells a story, particularly the line about Coca-Cola finding its way into many Nigerian occasions, even office meetings. This keen observation feels familiar to anyone who has grown up with the drink. Indeed, Coca-Cola has become a family member as the lyrics portrayed.

To capture the communal spirit that has become central to the brand’s identity in Nigeria, one of the singers raps in Hausa. It would have been interesting to hear Igbo and Yoruba reflected in the song as well, given the country’s linguistic and cultural diversity.

The guitar and drums also give the anthem a groovy, upbeat quality. It is the kind of song that can play comfortably on the way to work, at home, at a party or even on the dance floor.

But the beauty of the anthem lies in its harmonisation. Each time the backing singers come together, they evoke a sense of nostalgia, bringing back the many moments we have shared with Coke. At home, in the office, at parties, while visiting a friend or stopping at a roadside shop to grab a bottle and escape the sweltering heat, there always seems to be a Coke somewhere in the picture. And perhaps that is what the song captures best: the moments shared around the drink.

“We don tey, we still dey,” Drille sings, borrowing a familiar Nigerian expression to acknowledge Coca-Cola’s long presence in the country. And truly, the brand has been around long enough to have become part of memories shared across generations.

The timing of the anthem is also interesting. Nigerian pop culture today draws on the past even as it embraces new sounds, aesthetics and forms of expression. There is a growing appreciation for the things that have remained familiar — our values, traditions, languages and shared experiences. Coca-Cola, too, occupies a place in that cultural memory, having remained part of Nigerian life across generations.

The more I listened to the Coca-Cola 75th Anniversary Anthem, the more I was reminded of Coca-Cola’s 1993 ‘Always Coca-Cola’ campaign, particularly its catchy refrain. The new anthem has a similar quality. Its repeated chant of “Coca-Cola” is simple enough to linger, while the combination of the choir, Drille’s voice and the rhythm gives it the feel of something made to be shared.

Beyond the anthem, the brand has also unveiled anniversary packaging, including a 20 per cent extra-free-content offer, alongside other activities to mark the milestone.

The most interesting thing about Coca-Cola’s 75th anniversary is how its history in Nigeria has become intertwined with the everyday moments through which people remember their own lives — birthdays, family gatherings, office meetings, visits to friends and those small moments when a cold bottle of Coke was just what was needed. This is what makes the anthem feel like a soundtrack of memories people have around it.

The anthem will be released on Saturday, September 26, on streaming platforms.