Coca-Cola to Air Russian ‘Firebird’ Ads Here

Coca-Cola Co. is betting that the Russian folk legend that inspired Igor Stravinsky’s fabled Firebird ballet and “Suite” will be powerful enough to sell soft drinks. The five-part series of commercials that began airing in Moscow in February will also be shown in Europe and the U.S. In the ads, modern-day versions of the tale’s hero and heroine win out over the forces of evil--all the while drinking Coke. The “Drink the Legend” ads were filmed in Moscow and Siberia and will be broadcast in English in the U.S. market. The ads will be shown April 7 only during “Larry King Live” on CNN and “MTV Live.”