Missing Names

When Pop Culture Meets Urgency: Turning “Share a Coke” Into a Search for the Missing
We often celebrate the thrill of finding our own name on a bottle. But what if, instead of joy, that moment sparked a deeper realization—that somewhere, someone is still searching for that very name in real life?
In Ecuador, more than 5,000 people are reported missing. For their families, the search has become a painful, personal mission, often overshadowed by bureaucracy and slowed by official silence. With time, visibility fades. And with it, hope.
To challenge that silence, ASFADEC (Association of Families and Friends of Missing Persons in Ecuador), together with the independent creative agency BBA, decided to reframe one of pop culture’s most recognizable icons: the personalized Coke bottle. Drawing inspiration from the global “Share a Coke” campaign, they gave it a new—and urgent—meaning.
Instead of celebrating the discovery of your name on a label, the campaign asked consumers to pause: what if the name you saw belonged to someone who had disappeared? Labels featuring common names such as Josué, Álvaro, and Carolina were placed on real bottles. Each carried a QR code leading to the missing person’s profile on ASFADEC’s platform—complete with their story, photograph, and contact information for sharing potential leads.
The bottles were distributed in neighborhood stores, bodegas, and other high-traffic points. The action soon spread online, amplified by creators and everyday citizens who shared their reactions after stumbling across the bottles. Visibility grew organically, sparking a conversation far beyond the shelves.
This initiative is not sanctioned by the beverage brand itself. It is, rather, a grassroots collaboration—driven by families, volunteers, committed citizens, and BBA’s creative force. More than a campaign, it is an act of searching. A reminder to a country that certain names should never be forgotten.
Because only if we all search, can we find them.