Jason Derulo Tapped for 2018 FIFA World Cup Anthem for Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola announced a partnership with Jason Derulo to craft a song that reflects its values of optimism and inclusion, and that celebrates the vibrancy and excitement of the FIFA World Cup and its role in bringing people together.
“I always get butterflies when I am releasing a new song, but this one feels different. It feels like such a perfect time for this record,” said Jason Derulo from behind the soundboard in his home recording studio.
The multiplatinum-selling pop star is referring to “Colors,” which he wrote and recorded as the soundtrack for Coke’s global 2018 FIFA World Cup campaign. Coca-Cola will promote the uplifting anthem—which Warner Bros Records will release as a single on 16 March—in the months leading up to this summer’s tournament.
“We wanted to team up with one of the world’s truly global artists to create a unifying soundtrack that could represent everything our brand stands for; And Jason absolutely nailed it,” said Brad Ross, Director of Global Football Marketing at Coca-Cola.
The anthem is a rallying cry for fans around the world to embrace their “colours”, a concept that extends beyond country flags and team jerseys.
“The message has a much deeper meaning. It is a call to action to celebrate and be proud of everything you represent, no matter where you come from. It is a powerful and universal statement that really brings our campaign to life,” added Ross.
Derulo saw the invitation from Coca-Cola as an opportunity to create a track that would bring different cultures together.
“The song basically wrote itself. ‘Colors’ is about champions, but also about the state of the world. It has this balance of the World Cup but also the world at large, and all of us trying to thrive,” said Derulo.
Sonically, “Colors” is a musical melting pot of genres and cultures.
“When you set out to make a World Cup anthem, you want to create something international that fans around the world can enjoy. This song has an island vibe. It has African rhythms. And it has a Latin influence with the guitar. I meshed all of these things together and added a stadium feel so everyone can feel like it is their sound,” explained Derulo.
The pop star is collaborating with a diverse array of international artists—from Switzerland, to Saudi Arabia, to South Africa—on a series of local remixes of “Colors” to be released in the coming months.
The partnership with Derulo marks the latest chapter in the brand’s global marketing campaign for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, following its signing of its first-ever-virtual ambassador, Alex Hunter, for the EA FIFA 18 game, and the kickoff of the 2018 FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour by Coca-Cola.
Ross said he hopes the song—and Derulo’s international appeal—will create an “onramp” to the campaign for a wide range of consumers, who might not all be hardcore football fans.
Music has been a part of Coke’s FIFA World Cup marketing efforts for the past two FIFA World Cups. The brand collaborated with K’Naan in 2010 and David Correy in 2014.
Coca-Cola was a four-time global winner of the World Branding Awards, in the Beverages-Softdrinks category.
