Coca-Cola will launch their new "Coca-Cola . . . Real" ad campaign, featuring contemporary soul artists Musiq, Angie Stone, Amel Larrieux, ?uestlove, Scratch, Donnie and Aaries, this month.

The three ads, titled "Session," "Inspiration" and "Mountain Music," were shot in New York City and directed by Malik Hassan Sayeed. In "Session," Musiq sings the line "Got to make it real compared to what . . ." joined by Larrieux, Aaries and Scratch. In "Inspiration," visual artist Mike Thompson paints a picture of Musiq, Aaries, Larrieux, Stone, Donnie, ?uestlove and Scratch." "It feels real," Thompson said. "It shows me painting people I love listening to and they're singing and hanging out, which is what they do."

Finally, in "Mountain Music," Angie Stone, Donnie and ?uestlove take turns around a karaoke machine, with ?uestlove getting Stone to sing the Alabama song "Mountain Music." "It was so much fun," Stone said. "I think because I'm a lyricist and I dig deep into song patterns and structure, 'Mountain Music' best represents me."

All the performers from the ads will perform at two shows dubbed the "Coca-Cola Classic Soul Lounge" in Los Angeles on February 28th and New York on March 12th.

CHRISTINA SARACENO
(February 13, 2003)