--- title: Coca-Cola Holidays Are Coming: the Christmas truck campaign that became cultural tradition | RGM® url: https://realgrowthmatters.com/learn/case-studies/coca-cola-holiday-campaign/ updated: 2026-06-10 source_html: https://realgrowthmatters.com/learn/case-studies/coca-cola-holiday-campaign/ --- - **Story:** Coca-Cola launched 'Holidays Are Coming' Christmas truck ad 1995. 60-second ad with red trucks, snowy landscapes, twinkling lights, custom 'Holidays Are Coming' jingle. 30+ years annual global runs. Cultural Christmas tradition particularly in UK. Christmas truck tours supplement TV. - **Why it matters:** Coca-Cola Holidays Are Coming is canonical multi-decade holiday campaign case — demonstrating consistency over decades transforms advertising into cultural tradition. - **Takeaway:** Multi-decade consistency can transform advertising into cultural tradition. - **Takeaway:** Custom-composed music creates ongoing brand recognition. - **Takeaway:** Physical brand activations supplement digital/TV advertising. ## Coca-Cola Holidays Are Coming — the four-step story S Situation Situation Christmas advertising in 1995 was crowded with various holiday spots. Coca-Cola had been associating with Christmas since Haddon Sundblom Santa illustrations 1931 onwards but needed contemporary advertising approach. T Task Task Build sustainable Christmas advertising tradition that compounds brand association over decades. A Action Action 1995 launched 'Holidays Are Coming' with red trucks, snowy landscapes, twinkling lights, custom jingle. Annual repeats with variations through 2024. Added physical Christmas truck tours in UK and other markets. R Result Result 30+ consecutive years annually. Cultural Christmas tradition. UK significance: truck arrival marks Christmas season start. Sustained brand-Christmas association amplified each year. ## Holidays Are Coming by the numbers 0 Campaign launched 'Holidays Are Coming' Source: Coca-Cola history 0+ Years of annual runs Consecutive global campaigns Source: Campaign records 0s Ad length Standard 60-second format Source: Ad specifications 0 'Holidays Are Coming' jingle Iconic music Source: Campaign element 0 Cultural significance Truck arrival marks Christmas Source: Cultural reception 0 Cultural status Beyond advertising Source: Cultural impact #### Quick facts BrandCoca-Cola Campaign'Holidays Are Coming' Christmas truck ad Original launch1995 Length60 seconds Music'Holidays Are Coming' jingle (custom-composed) Annual runs30+ consecutive years globally UK significanceCoca-Cola truck arrival marks Christmas season start Tour elementCoca-Cola Christmas Truck physical tours of UK cities **Honest note** Coca-Cola Holidays Are Coming is widely documented. The case is included as canonical multi-decade holiday campaign reference. ## The 1995 launch and longevity Coca-Cola launched 'Holidays Are Coming' Christmas truck ad in 1995. The 60-second ad features red Coca-Cola trucks lit with twinkling lights driving through snowy landscapes delivering Christmas atmosphere. Custom-composed 'Holidays Are Coming' jingle became iconic. Through 1995-2024+ the ad has run annually globally with various regional variations. In UK particularly the Christmas truck arrival each November marks Christmas season start. Coca-Cola also operates physical Christmas truck tours of UK cities producing community events. ## How RGM thinks about multi-decade holiday campaigns When clients ask about long-running holiday campaigns or about cultural tradition-building, the Coca-Cola Holidays Are Coming case is canonical reference. The lessons: multi-decade consistency can transform advertising into cultural tradition; custom-composed music creates ongoing brand recognition; and physical brand activations (Christmas truck tours) supplement digital/TV advertising. ## Frequently asked questions How long has the campaign run? 30+ consecutive years annually globally since 1995. One of the longest-running annual holiday advertising campaigns in history. Has become cultural Christmas tradition particularly in UK where 'the Coca-Cola truck arrival' marks Christmas season start. What is the Christmas Truck tour? Physical Coca-Cola Christmas Truck tours of UK cities each November-December. The Christmas Truck visits towns producing community events. Combined with the 'Holidays Are Coming' ad, creates physical brand activation supplementing TV advertising. ### Sources & references - [Coca-Cola Christmas Campaign](https://www.coca-cola.co.uk/our-business/christmas) — Coca-Cola UK campaign information. ## Related [#### All case studies Full library.](/learn/case-studies/)[#### Share a Coke Adjacent Coca-Cola case.](/learn/case-studies/coca-cola-share-a-coke/)[#### Coca-Cola Zero Sugar Adjacent Coca-Cola case.](/learn/case-studies/coca-cola-zero-sugar-2017-reformulation/)