For the first time in history, Uzbekistan qualified for the FIFA World Cup. It was a moment the entire nation had waited for. But it also presented a new challenge: the tournament would take place thousands of kilometers away in North America, making the journey too distant and expensive for most Uzbek fans.
Problem
The nation wanted to stand behind its team. Yet most of its people could not be there in person.So Coca-Cola asked: If the fans couldn’t travel to the World Cup, how could their support still reach the team?
Solution
Uzbekistan had never had a national football chant of its own. So, for the country’s first-ever World Cup, we created its first national chant - not simply for the fans, but from the fans. The chant carried a simple, powerful message: “Olg‘a, Olg‘a, O‘zbekiston!” Meaning: “Forward, forward, Uzbekistan!” A phrase anyone could sing. We traveled 3,480 kilometers across Uzbekistan, visiting 9 cities and recording the voices of people throughout the country. To give everyone else the chance to take part, we launched a Telegram bot through which anyone could record and submit their voice. More than 15,000 people joined in.We brought their individual recordings together to create one powerful collective voice: Uzbekistan’s first national football chant. The chant gave every participant a sense of ownership. People could hear themselves, their friends and their communities inside it. It became a living symbol of national support and the emotional heart of Coca-Cola’s entire football campaign, connecting social media, Telegram, outdoor, PR, digital media and film.The chant debuted at the team’s official send-off celebration. Then it traveled to America together with the players.So wherever the team went, they were supported not only by the fans in the stands, but by the voices of an entire nation.
Results
15,000+ voices collected. 9 cities. Participation from the President of Uzbekistan and pop star Sevara Nazarkhan. 8.4% weekly increase in product consumption. +4.3 pp increase in affinity. 4.5 million total reach. 100x increase in Coca-Cola’s association with football.
