Coca-Cola Middle East has brought together African Hip-hop artist K’naan and superstar Nancy Ajram to create an uplifting soundtrack for the global marketing campaign in support of the Coca-Cola sponsorship for the 2010 FIFA World Cup™. ‘Wavin’ Flag – Coca-Cola Celebration Mix’ by K’naan featuring Nancy Ajram will be released in 50 countries and will be the centre piece music for the campaign; used as the music on all TV commercials, at the FIFA World Cup™ Trophy Tour by Coca-Cola events, on the online digital platform and more.
Umut Ozaydinli, Global Music Manager, The Coca-Cola Company said: “For the biggest ever Coca-Cola football campaign and we wanted a theme song that would really help fans to get into a celebratory mood around the 2010 FIFA World Cup™. K’NAAN is the perfect man for the job – he’s not only a great musician but come with a truly authentic story. He’s not known in many of the countries where we’re launching the track but we’re confident his music will connect with football and music fans all over the world. This is a first of its kind international launch campaign for Coca-Cola and it’s been a joy working with K’NAAN and his team to make it all happen.”
Parts of the music video for ‘Wavin’ Flag - Coca Cola Celebration Mix’ was shot in April 2010 in Amchit and Ashrafieh, Lebanon.
Murat Ozgel, Marketing director, Coca-Cola Middle East said: “The Coca-Cola football campaign is one of the biggest that has ever been put together, and the theme song is a major tool that will bring out the celebration in the hearts of all the fans. We are proud to have Nancy Ajram on board, she is unique not only in her music but also as a person, and we are confident that her representation of the song will capture everyone’s hearts.”
The track is a remix of K’NAAN’s ‘Wavin Flag’, which originally appeared on his hit 2009 album ‘Troubadour’. K’NAAN and Nancy Ajram reworked the song for the Coca-Cola campaign which invites football fans to express their optimism and passion for football through active dance celebrations in the run-up to the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ in South Africa.
“I’m really proud to be working with Coca-Cola on a track linked to their sponsorship of the 2010 FIFA World Cup™,” commented K’NAAN. “It’s one of the few times when the world gets together and forgets its differences and the new version of Wavin Flag really captures this feeling of unity and celebration. We worked very hard in the studio to make sure it sounded as uplifting as possible – we used something like 50 drums and choirs and the results are amazing.”
“It is a privilege to be involved in the Coca-Cola World Cup Anthem, a song that is sure to bring happiness to so many people,” commented Nancy Ajram. “There is no other time during the year when the entire world will celebrate the same thing at the same time. This song is full of happiness and feelings of unity and celebration, and we hope it will touch the hearts of every person experiencing the 2010 World Cup.”
