Coke Commercial I.D.'s Anyone?

[Glimmerglass]

[QUOTE=Wellspotted;3444485]
… commercial playing “Rhapsody in Blue,” I automatically think it’s a United commercial.[/QUOTE]

Actually you almost should always make that connection Simply because United Airlines has used George Gershwin’s (composed in 1924) Rhapsody in Blue since 1985 and it’s generally considered it’s theme.

United Airlines - for the ads seen during the Olympics - is using Minneapolis-based Barrie D’Rozario Murphy (BDM) as its creative agency. They were selected in Spring of 2007 for that role.

They might bleed tons of money, slash payrolls and cancel air routes but boy they never cease to spend money on frequently updated (and expensive) ads.

[J_Turner]

[QUOTE=Rebe;3439738]
You JUST beat me to posting to ask this! Here’s the link - the riders show up at 17 seconds…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZVj_niY7R0[/QUOTE]

Are we sure they’re American? The coats don’t have blue collars with white piping.

[J_Turner]

[QUOTE=LetItBe;3440616]
Yeah I played it frame by frame and the one closest definitely looks like George Morris.

LetItBe[/QUOTE]

the blond one? Hmmm … I don’t know …

[Drvmb1ggl3]

@J. Turner;3444805

Are we sure they’re American?

It was established two pages ago that they are Germans, the gold medal team of '60.

[Larksmom]

I also love the thread

almost as much as I loved the ad! In the spirit of letting them know how much we care, this is a sponsor we should contact to say thanks for sponsoring, etc etc etc. It does say they sponsor the special olympics, but there are plenty of each mixed thru. a terrific ad all the way around.

[Anyplace_Farm]

How is it a team? Doesn’t a show jumping team consist of four ppl? Or am I tripping and there are actually four people on the podium in the commercial? Seen it, just haven’t replayed it.

I froze-framed it last night and I think the guy getting the medal looks like Bill Steinkraus.

[Anyplace_Farm]

OK, yeah, just looked at it and there are only three on the podium. Therefore, wouldn’t that mean three people, possibly from three different countries, being awarded their individual medals for show jumping? And how are we even certain it wasn’t the indiv. for eventing?

[Drvmb1ggl3]

@Anyplace Farm;3445281

OK, yeah, just looked at it and there are only three on the podium. Therefore, wouldn’t that mean three people, possibly from three different countries, being awarded their individual medals for show jumping? And how are we even certain it wasn’t the indiv. for eventing?

No, there were 3 riders in a team pre-1972. The team is the German team of 1960 in Rome. The riders are Hans Günter Winkler and Halla, Fritz Thiedemann and Meteor, Alwin Schockemöhle and Ferdl.
It’s been explained already in the thread with photographic evidence.

[Anyplace_Farm]

@Drvmb1ggl3;3445292

No, there were 3 riders in a team pre-1972. The team is the German team of 1960 in Rome. The riders are Hans Günter Winkler and Halla, Fritz Thiedemann and Meteor, Alwin Schockemöhle and Ferdl.
It’s been explained already in the thread with photographic evidence.

Whoa. Missed that.

Awwww! I had the Breyer horse Halla. She was my favorite!

[PlatosGurl]

Someone much earlier stated, correctly IMO, that the rider closest to the camera is George Morris. He has an incredibly distinctive profile. So I don’t think it can be the German team and was not convinced by the “photographic evidence”. George has only been on one team, according to the search I did, the 1960 Rome Olympic team, where the USA took silver. So the other team members would be: Bill Steinkraus and Frank Chapot. George is the giveaway.

And here is a not great shot of George’s distinctive nose…http://www.hunterjumpernews.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/04/2007%20Maxine%20Beard%20Award%20winner%20Brianne%20Goutal%20receives%20her%20award%20from%20U.S.%20Show%20Jumping%20chef%20d%E2%80%99equipe%20George%20H.%20Morris,%20USET%20Foundation%20President%20Jane%20F.%20Clark,%20Ronnie%20Beard%20and%20Kent%20Moeller.jpg
He’s on the far left. That is definitely him on the medal stand.

ETA: All of the German riders from 1960 have hair. The guy closest to the camera in the video (who I maintain is GM) has a buzz cut, doesn’t he? Oh I don’t know anymore.

[Drvmb1ggl3]

@PlatosGurl;3445805

Someone much earlier stated, correctly IMO, that the rider closest to the camera is George Morris. He has an incredibly distinctive profile. So I don’t think it can be the German team and was not convinced by the “photographic evidence”. George has only been on one team, according to the search I did, the 1960 Rome Olympic team, where the USA took silver. So the other team members would be: Bill Steinkraus and Frank Chapot. George is the giveaway.

And here is a not great shot of George’s distinctive nose…http://www.hunterjumpernews.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/04/2007%20Maxine%20Beard%20Award%20winner%20Brianne%20Goutal%20receives%20her%20award%20from%20U.S.%20Show%20Jumping%20chef%20d%E2%80%99equipe%20George%20H.%20Morris,%20USET%20Foundation%20President%20Jane%20F.%20Clark,%20Ronnie%20Beard%20and%20Kent%20Moeller.jpg
He’s on the far left. That is definitely him on the medal stand.

ETA: All of the German riders from 1960 have hair. The guy closest to the camera in the video (who I maintain is GM) has a buzz cut, doesn’t he? Oh I don’t know anymore.

No it’s definitely the Germans. Look at this picture, third picture down on the page. Those are the exact same three guys in the video, the guy with crew cut is on the left, and the two dark haired guys next to him. Read the caption below the picture, it says it’s the German team. Also the guy giving them the medals is the same guy in the video.
You can also see the US team in the background, with what appears to me to be the tall skinny Bill Steinkraus on the left.
Seems like people want the guys in the video to be Americans so bad :).

[nycjumper]

Well, if Coke is running this ad only in the US, it would stand to reason that they used US athletes.

Haven’t seen the ad so I have no idea on the correct answer.

[Drvmb1ggl3]

Here is a picture of Frank Chapot at the Olympics in Rome, look at the collar on his jacket, now look at the picture with Germans being awarded the medals and the US team standing in the background. Same jacket.
The guys in the video are the Germans.

[Drvmb1ggl3]

@nycjumper;3446499

Well, if Coke is running this ad only in the US, it would stand to reason that they used US athletes.

Haven’t seen the ad so I have no idea on the correct answer.

Look at the ad, a youtube version is posted on the first page of this thread. There are several non-americans in the commerical, including an African (Ethiopian??) runner and a Chinese athlete.

[Anyplace_Farm]

To put the dispute to rest, I had sent an email to Coke asking them who the riders were before I got my answer by Drvmb1ggl3. Amazingly, I got a response. Here it is:

Thank you for contacting The Coca-Cola Company. We appreciate your interest.

You will be interested to know that the Equestrians appearing in the
ad you mentioned are as follows:

Hans Gunter Winkler
Fritz Thiedemann
Alwin Schockemohle

Additionally, all three Equestrians represented Germany in the 1960
Olympic Games held in Rome.

Tom Barber
Industry and Consumer Affairs
The Coca-Cola Company

[lauriep]

George did not have a buzz cut in 1960. The man had a beautiful head of hair and was quite vain about it! LOL!!! He has only adopted the shaved look in the last 5 years or so.

[Reds-n-Greys]

Thanks Anyplace Farm for getting the definitive answer! It was really nice of Coke to respond to your inquiry!

[Wellspotted]

Originally posted by Anyplace Farm:

To put the dispute to rest, I had sent an email to Coke asking them who the riders were before I got my answer by Drvmb1ggl3. Amazingly, I got a response. Here it is:

Thank you for contacting The Coca-Cola Company. We appreciate your interest.

You will be interested to know that the Equestrians appearing in the
ad you mentioned are as follows:

Hans Gunter Winkler
Fritz Thiedemann
Alwin Schockemohle

Additionally, all three Equestrians represented Germany in the 1960
Olympic Games held in Rome.

Tom Barber
Industry and Consumer Affairs
The Coca-Cola Company

Jawohl! Well done, Anyplace Farm!

I think there should be 5 Coca-Cola medals awarded on this thread–
One each to you and Tom for your e-mails, one to Reds-n-Greys for starting the thread, one to Rebe for posting the youtube link, and one to me for guessing correctly first and backing up the guess with research!

By the way, I wonder if one reason they chose the German team was because their jackets are Coca-Cola red!

[Reds-n-Greys]

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Reds-n-Greys proudly accepts her Gold medal!!!

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Here’s to Wellspotted

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And AnyPlace Farm

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And Tom

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And of course, Rebe!!!

Sorry I’m not talented enough to figure out how to draw the podium where we should all be together!!!

[hijumpin1]

Fun thread and interesting trivia! Yay for Coke for honoring equestrians in the ad!