Cherry Coke Commercial - ID# 8

Deerfield
Commercial
Entry Description

In this commercial, the famous duo of cherries and Coke return, making a splash, as usual.

Copyright Info

Recent Teacher Comments

  • 4/29 3:00 pm - Commercial Feedback – Cherry Coke Advertisement Story (Strong) The concept of “synergy” is a clever and effective foundation for this commercial. Framing the product as the result of two complementary elements coming together is both memorable and aligned with the identity of the drink. The writing is thoughtful and purposeful, giving the commercial a clear message within a short runtime. This is a strong example of how a simple idea, when executed clearly, can drive a commercial forward. Camera (Average to Good) Some of the shot composition is solid; however, technical inconsistencies—particularly with exposure—limit the overall polish. The overexposed highlights on the bottle, especially against the white backdrop, draw attention away from the product itself. When working with reflective surfaces like plastic or glass, it is essential to carefully control how light interacts with the subject. Lighting (Needs Improvement) This is the primary area for growth in this piece. The visible hot spots and reflections on the bottle indicate that the lighting was too direct and not sufficiently controlled. In professional product shooting, especially for beverages, lighting is heavily diffused to create soft, even highlights and avoid harsh reflections. Using diffusion materials (such as softboxes, diffusion sheets, or even improvised materials) and adjusting light angles can significantly improve the look of reflective products. This adjustment alone would elevate the production quality considerably. Sound (Good) The audio supports the concept well, and the writing carries through clearly in the delivery. The tone aligns with the message of synergy and maintains consistency throughout. To push this further, consider adding subtle sound design elements that enhance the sensory appeal of the product (e.g., carbonation, pouring, or ambient textures). Editing (Good) The commercial is concise and well-paced. It does not overstay its welcome and delivers its message efficiently. The structure supports the central idea without unnecessary distractions. As you continue refining your work, consider how editing choices can further emphasize key visual moments—especially those that showcase the product in its best light. Production Value (Needs Growth) While the concept is strong, the overall production feels somewhat minimal. If your goal is to demonstrate a high level of media production skill, consider adding more depth to the visuals. This could include varied backgrounds, more intentional staging, or additional shot types (macro details, environmental context, or lifestyle usage). Expanding the visual environment would better match the strength of your concept and writing. ⸻ Overall Feedback This is a well-conceived commercial with a strong central idea and effective writing. The “synergy” concept is clear, creative, and appropriate for the product. To elevate this piece to a more professional level, the primary focus should be on improving lighting control—especially when working with reflective objects—and enhancing overall production depth. With stronger technical execution, this concept has the potential to become a highly polished and compelling commercial.
  • 4/20 8:05 am - Awesome commercial! Great camera shots, audio, and use of cherries. Your editing was great, and the combo of trying to promote the drink in the beginning with dialogue and then more cinematic shots.
  • 3/9 1:06 pm - I really love the use of music and graphics! Thought that was really engaging and made the commercial feel snappy. I do think that the voiceover works here, but maybe it's not totally necessary? Either way, loved the graphics and use of visuals to really sell the product.
Judge 1

Positives: - Product photography was really impressive! I liked the transitions a lot as well. - Great editing and pacing.

Improvements: - Synergy concept was interesting, but it didn’t quite land. It felt a little disjointed from the commercial. - Not a great typeface for “synergy”

Judge 2

Positives: Strong idea right from the start connecting actual cherries and coke and your visuals are filmed nicely. Really nice camera work and shots along with excellent takes as well. You also have some excellent sound design in the middle and great editorial moments once you get into the cut. Well done!

Improvements: If you're going to use sound design as a storytelling element so beautifully in the middle, you also need to put pour sound effects under the open pour at :03. Play with the sound design mix in the middle - it's too low against the music at times. Once the synergy kicks in, the spot flows nicely and then stops on a logo at :22. You want to follow the traditional rules of making it a :30 or :60 and in this case you would have benefitted from having some sort of call to action or voice over...something that feels like closure in the last :08. Why is synergy important? Why does it matter? This is not a criticism, it's here to help you think about how to end the spot. After establishing the synergy idea (really well done), close out the spot with what you think matters. You could booked this with the VO coming back with something like, "Life flows better with synergy" as an example (but that's just a throwaway.) This is your POV so why is synergy a thing for you? This has the makings of a great spot. Our greatest challenge as storytellers is to push ourselves to refine our ideas in the execution and with a little more work this one is right there!

Judge 3

Positives: Nice work! Solid setup and structure. It's a smart approach to define a term leading to the product being the answer. The edit pacing was nice, and nice choice of cutting.

Improvements: I think the on screen supers and type treatment could've been elevated a bit. The sound quality on recording isn't great, and maybe too high in the mix, and the choice of music feels abrupt and maybe the wrong vibe for the spot.

Judge 4

Positives: Great job opening the commercial with a statement that carries through the rest of the piece. It creates a strong hook and highlights strong storytelling. The music, motion graphics, and effects were also engaging and well executed. Overall, great work!

Improvements: The framing on the bottle shot felt a little tight. It might have been nice to leave a bit more white space in the composition. I also don’t think you need to wait to introduce the dynamic movement of the bottle and camera until after the statement is said. You could start that motion right away. It would likely get the same point across while making the opening feel more engaging from the start. Great job with this piece!

Judge 5

Positives:

Improvements: