Coca-Cola tunes Australia’s airwaves to the ‘Sound of Home’ for OFWs 

Australia — Coca-Cola marked Christmas by launching SoundOfHome.FM, a 24-hour radio broadcast that brought carols and heartfelt messages from families in the Philippines to Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) in Australia.

Airing from 6 pm on Christmas Eve to 6 pm on Christmas Day, the initiative was delivered in partnership with SBS, Australia’s multicultural and multilingual public broadcaster. 

The broadcast featured Caroloke performances, personal dedications, and messages of gratitude recorded by families across the Philippines, turning Australian airwaves into an audio link to home.

The campaign was grounded in Coca-Cola’s global Christmas insight that “the pressures of the holidays steal the Christmas spirit from the true givers”, recognising the emotional toll of distance faced by OFWs during the festive season. 

In the weeks leading up to Christmas, Coca-Cola rolled out a nationwide Caroloke Caravan across key cities and major Christmas festivals in the Philippines, enabling families to record messages for loved ones abroad. 

A digital platform also allowed remote uploads, while a notification system alerted OFWs when their family’s message was due to air.

“This initiative comes from a place of deep respect for the people who give so much of themselves from far away, a recognition of their immense, yet quiet sacrifices,” said Francis Izon Reyes, Coca-Cola marketing director for ASEAN & South Pacific. 

“We know that during the holidays, the distance and not being with family can feel heavier than ever. With SoundOfHome.FM, we wanted to bring a moment of comfort, a small piece of home to Filipinos overseas—a familiar voice, a favourite carol, something to remind them that their sacrifice, love, and dedication are seen, valued, and deeply appreciated. That is the real spirit of Christmas, and we are honoured to help bring it to life,” Reyes explained.

Alongside the broadcast, Coca-Cola released a Christmas film titled Sound of Home, filmed in Australia and featuring real OFWs hearing messages from their families while at work. 

Reyes added, “Our simple wish is that with this project, we hope we were able to bring even a moment of warmth to those spending Christmas far from home. If the Sound of Home helped one person feel remembered even for a few seconds, then we’ve done something meaningful this season.”

Nikhil Panjwani, executive creative director at Ogilvy @WPP OpenX, said, “Christmas is about togetherness, but for millions of OFWs, it’s defined by distance. SoundOfHome.FM was our way of using something as simple as radio to bring families closer—if  only for a moment—on a day when it matters most.” 

“We couldn’t shorten the distance—but we did close the silence with a 24-hour love letter, in audio form,” Panjwani concluded.