Smeg launches ‘70s inspired limited edition Unity fridge in collaboration with Coca Cola

Those of us who are children of the 1970s would remember the iconic Coca-Cola Hilltop television commercial “It’s the Real Thing” in which some 100 young people of different nationalities assembled on a hill top in Italy to sing the catchy jingle “I’d Like to Buy the World a Coke,” which was later released as the song “I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing” performed by the folksy Hillside Singers.

Iconic images of Coca-Cola bottles are combined with words and symbols representing the seventies, such as peace signs, flowers and ‘Love’, to evoke an array of nostalgia. The well-known phrase ‘It’s the real thing’ has become a renowned aspect of Coca-Cola’s branding, and is bannered across Smeg's  new FAB28 fridge in a swirling hue of psychedelic colours. There will also be an official numbered plaque on each fridge to indicate it is limited edition authenticity, with only 25 available to purchase.  Image courtesy of Smeg.

As this year marks the 50th anniversary of Coca-Cola’s Hilltop TV commercial, the company is celebrating with the 1971 Unity Collection, while launching a series of capsule collections with more than 25 fashion, beauty and accessories brands.

Giving Smeg’s signature retro style FAB28 a makeover, the unique Unity design reflects the Coca-Cola TV Hilltop commercial’s theme of peace and harmony through its bold and colourful style,  reminiscent of the 1970s.   With a generous 270 litre capacity and a multi-flow cooling system to ensure the ideal temperature and humidity for food storage, this iconic Smeg FAB28 ‘Unity’ design brings together style with high-performance technology.
Image courtesy of Smeg.

Now the celebrated Italian appliance brand, Smeg, has revealed a new look for its iconic FAB28 Unity fridge, the result of a collaboration with Coca-Cola to mark  the half-century of  its famous Hilltop Commercial.  I remember the amazing impact of the lyrics on the era of folk songs and popular psychedelic culture.  My friends and I would sing along to the legendary tune “in perfect harmony”, and the lyrics are as relevant and powerful today as it was then. 

Featured on the new Smeg fridge are iconic images of Coca-Cola bottles, combined with words and symbols representing the 70s, such as peace signs, flowers and ‘Love’, to evoke an array of nostalgia. The well-known phrase ‘It’s the real thing’ has become a renowned aspect of Coca-Cola’s branding, and is bannered across the fridge in a swirling hue of psychedelic colours. There will also be an official numbered plaque on each fridge to indicate it is limited edition authenticity, with only 25 available to purchase.

The interior also utilises the highest quality design, providing removable glass shelving to maximise and utilise the space to individual needs. There is also a life plus compartment for preserving perishable foods and a fruit and vegetable drawer. Additionally, there is also an icebox for storing ice and frozen foods. 

The special edition Unity fridge will be exclusively available in Smeg’s UK flagship store in London St James and from shop.smeguk.com, where only 25 will be available.

Coke has partnered with more than 25 international brands to celebrate the TV commercial — including Timex, PacSun, Starter, Morphe, Casetify, Funko, Loft, Mark Feldstein, Round 2, AMC Textil, Blue Ocean, Bumpboxx, Castline, Chaser, Fifth Sun, Freman Shoes, Grade Africa, Koolatron, Only & Sons, Picnic Time, PopSockets, Ripple Junction, Rolla’s Jeans, Rookie Roller, Smeg, Spirit Jersey, Tafi AR Samsung, Tai Apparel and Vintage Vending —"to reflect the optimism and unique expression of the original Hilltop campaign,” according to Kate Dwyer in a recent interview with the WWD. 

Commenting on the collaboration, Kate Dwyer, Senior Director of Global Licensing for Coca-Cola says: “These new collections showcase the timeless values of peace, inclusiveness, diversity and optimism”.

Among Smeg’s recent collaboration was with Italian fashion brand Dolce&Gabbana in the creation of 100 numbered fridges, each featuring images by Sicilian artists: lemons, the trinacria (meaning three-pointed, derived from a myth about three nymphs) symbol, cart wheels, medieval knights and battle scenes – all distinctive elements of the poetic marionette theatre and the Sicilian Cart as well as important aspects of the aesthetic
of designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana. 
Images of Smeg kitchen appliances in its London flagship are by Lucia Carpio for
My Fashion Connect Global.