O.K. so this Italian ad executive is doing some soul searching having lost his job and his marriage, and goes to Jerusalem. He bumps into Jesus and offers him a Coke. Jesus kindly takes it and drinks it and being the ad agent he is the ad exec thinks– “What a testimonial for Coca Cola!” He didn’t think, “What a Friend we Have in Jesus” or Jesus is a hospitable guy. No, he thought— ad endorsement! This is part of an Italian film entitled “7 kilometers from Jerusalem” (see the story at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18011368/), a part which got axed because of the swift and furious response of Coca Cola’s legal wing. They wanted nothing to do with such a scene, and had it axed from the movie. Oh those Italians— first it was Jesus Jeans (“What would Jesus wear?”) then it was Jesus and Coke (“What would Jesus drink?”).

My question is— Why would Coke be upset about this scene? 1) Fear of reprisals from the devout? This seems unlikely, since no one is much worried about or troubled by offending Christians anymore; 2) Jesus’ endorsement of Coke would give Coke too much of a market edge over Pepsi? In light of their recent ad campaign in which they are thinking of suing themselves for taste infringement over the Coke Zero vs. Classic Coke issue it becomes clear they have too much time on their hands; 3) Trademark infringement and protecting their intellectual property was more important to them than Jesus’ endorsement? 4) Market share of soft drinks in Italy is so high for Coke now that they did not need Jesus’ help? 5) Coke was afraid the Pope might intervene and insist that Jesus be portrayed as politely refusing Coke but accepting communion wine, in which case the sale of Coke would go down in Italy and communion wine would go up? 6) Coke knew that Jesus was secretly not a Coke man, and so the scene was implausible (In fact I have it on the highest authority that Jesus is actually an afficiando of Cheerwine, a North Carolina beverage that is a cherry cola. Obviously the new covenant and the Good News more naturally goes with something called Cheerwine).

What do you think?