This week in 1971 Radio stations started running a Coke commercial called I’d Like To Buy The World A Coke, sung by “The Hillside Singers.” Advertising agency McCann Erickson had produced the jingle for Coca-Cola and had wanted “The New Seekers” to sing it, but that group could not fit the project into their schedule and turned it down. The jingle was also used as a TV commercial showing young people from around the world singing on a hillside. Because of the popularity of the commercial the lyrics were re-written as I’d Like To Teach The World To Sing. “The Hillside Singers” recording of the full song hit number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100. This convinced “The New Seekers” to record the song as well. Their version became an even bigger hit and reached the top of the charts in the UK, Ireland and New Zealand.