Diet Coke 'Flirt Machine' Sets Pulses Racing in London

via CocaCola

The best efforts to impress the Diet Coke Hunk would win prizes, from cans of Diet Coke to tickets for ‘Up at The O2’.

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Temperatures soared in London recently, when Coca-Cola Great Britain came up with a cheeky idea to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the iconic Diet Coke Hunk.

When the first "Diet Coke Break" aired in 1994, it quickly became one of the best-loved and most memorable ads in history. The commercial starred Lucky Vanous, a hunky construction worker who kept a group of admiring women glued to their office window as he enjoyed a Diet Coke for his 11:30 a.m. break.

Since then, the Diet Coke break ads have become a cultural phenomenon, building the brand’s core female following with an empowering idea that flips traditional gender roles and cements the 11:30 a.m. "break" as the ultimate time to enjoy a Diet Coke with friends.

To pay tribute to this much-loved icon, the Coca-Cola Great Britain team staged a cheeky, interactive vending experience at The O2 arena in London, one of the world’s premier music venues, before a major concert.

 

A normal-looking Coca-Cola vending machine was placed inside the main entrance, but it had more to it then met the eye. It was in fact, a live "flirt machine" with an actual Diet Coke Hunk inside.

Surprised passers-by were given an intriguing challenge: the best flirting and efforts to impress the handsome hunk would win prizes, ranging from cans of Diet Coke to tickets for "Up at The O2," giving people the chance to climb onto the roof of the arena for stunning views of London.

After fresh reincarnations in 1997 and 2007, the famous hunk made a hotly-anticipated return in 2013, in one of the most talked about advertisements of the year. To celebrate the brand’s 30th anniversary, British super model Andrew Cooper, took on the part of a good-looking gardener in a 21st century take on the Diet Coke classic:

Earlier this year, Coca-Cola brought London’s financial district to a halt, when 20 handsome gardeners took to the streets to work up a sweat as they recreated scenes from the steamy TV ad.