Analysis of the Coca-Cola company’s spot "Real magic at Christmas" from a gender perspective

Abstract

This article offers a comprehensive analysis of the interplay between music, sound, image, text, and representations of femininity, using one of the most widely used resources in audiovisual media: advertising spots. For this purpose, the study focuses on the commercial Real Magic at Christmas (Rogue Films, 2021) by Coca-Cola, which features an adaptation of a song from the soundtrack of the film Mary Poppins (Disney, 1964). To ensure a more structured approach, the visual and auditory elements will first be examined separately before their interrelations are explored. Furthermore, beyond the analysis of the spot itself, this study investigates the portrayal of female characters in both the advertisement and the film, in order to understand how gender perspectives are embedded in each audiovisual product. Finally, a symbolic comparison of all visual and auditory elements referring to femininity will be carried out. Although the advertisement and the film originate from different historical contexts, the messages they convey to their respective audiences exhibit notable parallels.