Man Behind Iconic 'I'd Like To Buy The World a Coke' Ad Passes Away
Bill Backer, whose famous ad also featured in the 'Mad Men' finale, was 89.
The man who created one of the most successful television ads of all time has passed away.
Bill Backer, who was the architect behind Coca-Cola’s iconic commercial about peace, love and soda passed away Friday at 89 in Warrenton, Virginia.
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The Coke ad gained new notoriety in last year’s series finale of Mad Men, when the show about fictional ad executives paid homage to the commercial in the final scene of the episode.
The 1971 commercial was filmed in an Italian hillside where a group of young people singing "I'd like to buy the world a Coke and keep it company.”
The popular commercial earned Backer a reputation as the man who "taught the world to sing."
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Aside from the Coca-Cola commercial, Backer created jingles for Fisher-Price, Campbell’s Soup, Parliament cigarettes, Xerox and Oreo.
He even created the slogan “It’s Miller Time” for Miller Lite beer.
Backer is survived by his wife, Ann Mudge.
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