Taika Waititi directs emotional Christmas advertisement for Coca-Cola

‘JoJo Rabbit’ filmmaker’s effort follows a long line of festive TV advertisements for the company

Taika Waititi has directed a new Christmas-themed TV advertisement for soft drink company Coca-Cola.

The advert, made by the acclaimed filmmaker behind Thor: Ragnarok, JoJo Rabbit and The Hunt for the Wilderpeople, debuted earlier this week.

While the clip, which follows a father’s arduous journey to deliver his child’s letter to Father Christmas, is currently available to watch online, it is not expected to air in the UK until December.

The beverage company addressed the meaning of the clip, entitled The Letter, in an accompanying comment.

“This Christmas, give something only you can give,” it said. “Be it in person, over an awkward video call, or just a quick message, making time for the ones you love is what makes Christmas truly the most special time of year, no matter how you do it. 

“Wherever you are, we hope you have a good one. Merry Christmas.”Coca-Cola are known for their elaborate festive adverts, with the earliest examples dating back nearly a century.

The 1995 “Holidays are Coming” advert helped popularise the trend of saccharine, cinematic TV advertisements, and has been re-aired and parodied several times in the years since.

However, while Waititi’s Christmas commercial is set to grace screens this advent, Coca-Cola have abandoned plans to continue their long-standing tradition of driving the “Coca-Cola truck” up and down the country, due to the coronavirus pandemic.