‘What we share is stronger’

The international Coca-Cola Christmas Truck Tour made the last rounds of its first-time journey to Jamaica on December 14 in the Half-Way-Tree area of Kingston.The signature stop brought the total number of towns visited by the Coca-Cola Santa, his helpers, Mrs Claus and dancers to 11. Downtown, Kingston; Trelawny; Mandeville; Ocho Rios; St Ann’s Bay; Negril; Santa Cruz, Spanish Town, May Pen and St Thomas also experienced the, ‘What We Share Is Stronger’ Coca-Cola themed Christmas.

Spectators on the various routes witnessed the caravan’s delicate bursts of snow, Christmas music and magical panoramic exhibit of Santa’s mobile village embedded in red décor with white Christmas trees decked with Coca-Cola embellishments.

Brand Manager of Coca-Cola Jamaica, Amoye Phillpotts-Brown was pleased with the feedback received from the public. “It was a remarkable feeling to see the joy on the faces of persons when they interacted with Santa and took part in the activities on the ground. We believe this first-time experience for Jamaica was a success for that reason alone,” Phillpotts-Brown said.

Each stop was brought to life with engaging games and festivities led by popular comedic personalities such as Christopher ‘Johnny’ Daley, Dufton Shepherd and Pretty Boy Floyd, who entertained the various gatherings with activities such as the Christmas Carol Remix, Coca-Cola Cup Pong, Guess That Jamaican Christmas Song, Coca-Cola Drinking, Hula Hoop and dance competitions.

Santa’s village

Individuals and families that purchased Coca-Cola products from nearby wholesales and shops got to enter Santa’s Village for free instant photos with Santa and gift from his special bag. These included items such as Coca-Cola glasses, collectible tumblers, tote bags and ear buds.

Sasha-Gaye Robinson, a St Catherine resident chimed in with her take on the experience during her visit to the Coca-Cola Santa Village with her son at the Spanish Town stop on December 7.

“I heard about the Christmas tour and surprisingly, we saw it when we were passing the destination, and we decided to find out how we could get to see Santa and we ran to the store in order to get on the truck to see Santa. I appreciate the token given and my son is very happy,” Robinson said.

The iconic Coca-Cola Christmas Truck Tour, staged in more than 100 cities across the globe over some 18 years, commenced its tour of the island on November 15. The initiative is expected to become an annual one for Jamaicans as a way for the brand to ignite the season of giving.