"You can make more friends...

...in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you." dale carnegie

Another quote that totally nails reality.

And just as true - probably more so - for institutions & organizations than for flesh & blood folk.

Consider NEW Coke - it's possible the new fangled recipe that was introduced with such major fanfare & expenditure of advertising bucks WAS better than the original, but when people tried it they found it flat. It lacked the fizz of memory, of association with past times & old friends. Out with the NEW, in with Classic Coke. And hefty sales were restored once more.

Thinking about Dale Carnegie's words got me thinking about the power of memory, of association, got me thinking about Coca Cola, got me thinking about what makes a powerful ad. Which brings me back to Coke!

Coca Cola's most successful ad, one of the most successful of all time, had nothing to do soda or entertaining or even the holidays - originally released in 1971, its carefully crafted message went straight to the heart.

Scene: A crowd of young people of all nationalities, on a hill, singing:
I'd like to buy the world a home
and furnish it with love,
grow apple trees & honey bees,
and snow white turtle doves.

I'd like to teach the world to sing
in perfect harmony.
I'd like to buy the world a Coke,
and keep it company.

It's the real thing - Coca Cola -
what the world wants today.

An America facing a deadly war abroad & massive protests at home, the publication of the pilfered Pentagon Papers & a devalued U.S. dollar LOVED the ad & sales soared.

Times have changed, but the ad's impact has not ~ this holiday season marks the 40th anniversary of its first airing; small wonder it still airs it at least once during the holiday season. Bill Backer, creative-director at McCann-Erickson, crafted an ad for the ages, one that touched the heart, stirring the affections of millions of couch-sitting, tv-watching people around the world.

The Academy does a great job of keeping alums & friends informed about what's happening in the schools. How well does it stir affections by sparking shared memories, by touching a common chord?

Something to think about.

Because people might support & contribute to organizations & institutions that are important to their lives, but they will contribute to ~ and generously ~ those that matter in their lives.

What timeless, heart-connecting, messages ~ honest, direct, affecting ~ can the Academy craft to share?

addendum (because it's a great story in itself):

After mind-boggling trials & tribulations, the television ad "I'd Like to Buy the World a Coke" was released first in Europe, where it garnered only a tepid response.

It was then released in the U.S. in July, 1971, and the response was immediate and dramatic.

By November of that year, Coca-Cola and its bottlers had received more than a hundred thousand letters about the ad. At that time the demand for the song was so great that many people were calling radio stations and asking them to play the commercial. Clearly, "I'd Like to Buy the World a Coke" had struck a chord deeper than the normal response to the advertisement of a commercial product.

"I'd Like to Buy the World a Coke" has had a lasting connection with the viewing public. Advertising surveys consistently identify it as one of the best commercials of all time. Such is the power of television advertising that through the enduring popularity of this ad, at least, Coke has become a common connection among people.