On March 11, a fresh Coca-Cola advertisement featuring K-pop sensation NJZ (NewJeans) has ignited intense speculation regarding a potential world tour. Fans are meticulously dissecting various components of the commercial, drawing connections that hint at an imminent tour announcement.
Several intriguing details are stoking these rumors, such as Hanni’s jersey number 31 and Dani’s number 7 shirt. Clocks in the ad displaying the times 10:10 and 9:30, alongside Hyein’s colorful rainbow heart necklace and Hanni’s striking red bracelet, have also captured the audience’s imagination. However, the most compelling clue is found on Minji’s t-shirt, which prominently proclaims “Back2Cool World Tour 87,”listing various dates and locations.
Anticipated Tour Dates
The dates featured in the advertisement, hinting at a planned tour, are as follows:
- Cleveland, OH – September 16-17
- Philadelphia, PA – September 19
- Toronto, CA – September 21-23, September 30
- Milwaukee, WI – October 5-7
- Syracuse, NY – October 10-12
- New York, NY – October 14-15, October 16-17
- E. Rutherford, NJ – October 25-26
- Hartford, CT – October 30
- Providence, RI – November 1
- Chapel Hill, NC – October 25-26
- Tampa, FL – October 30
- Miami, FL – November 1
Though no official confirmation has been made yet, it appears that the commercial might be revealing NJZ’s first-ever world tour.
Coca-Cola and NJZ: A Creative Collaboration in Malaysia
In an innovative partnership with NJZ, Coca-Cola is set to create a unique fan engagement experience in Malaysia. According to MARKETECH APAC, from March 12 to 15, 2025, a typical laundromat in Kuala Lumpur will be transformed into an exciting pop-culture destination.
Titled So Fresh So Clean, this initiative is developed in collaboration with WPP OpenX, spearheaded by Ogilvy Singapore. This pop-up laundromat will feature various hidden nods to NJZ, allowing fans to upcycle old jeans into personalized NewJeans apparel.
Visitors can also unlock exclusive RFID patches that grant access to personalized video messages from the group. To participate, fans can simply bring in their old jeans to Metropolitan Dobi Express and secure limited-edition Coke x NewJeans patches.
To receive these patches, attendees can present six Coca-Cola bottle caps or purchase six bottles on-site. Additionally, they can snap photos of their revamped look at a specially crafted photo booth. A virtual interaction aspect allows fans to engage with NewJeans through interactive videos, while the RFID patches enhance the experience further by revealing exclusive content when scanned with NFC-capable devices.
Nikhil Panjwani, Regional Executive Creative Director at Ogilvy Singapore, remarked on the campaign’s innovative approach, stating,
“This campaign from Coke lives at the intersection of fandom, Y2K fashion, collectible tech and a good ol’ pun. Who knew doing laundry could be so uplifting?”
NewJeans has maintained a fruitful partnership with Coca-Cola; in April 2023, they released the single “Zero”as part of the Coca-Cola Zero Sugar campaign in South Korea. The group has also been actively involved in the Coke Studio music initiative, further solidifying their fan connections.
Legal Turmoil: NJZ vs. ADOR
The ongoing legal dispute between NJZ (formerly known as NewJeans) and their previous management agency, ADOR, has recently escalated to the courtroom. On March 7, all five members—Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, and Hyein—attended the first hearing at the Seoul Central District Court dressed in black, alongside representatives from ADOR, a subsidiary of HYBE.
The lawsuit stems from an injunction that ADOR filed in January 2025, seeking judicial affirmation of its status as the legitimate management agency for the girl group. They are also pursuing a court order to prevent the members from independently signing advertising contracts.
This legal challenge follows a previous suit initiated by ADOR in December 2024, aimed at validating the group’s exclusive contracts. Despite the legal fracas, NJZ publicly unveiled its new name and announced their return to activities via Instagram on February 6, 2025—a move that was met with opposition from ADOR.
The legal team representing NJZ has contended that HYBE has treated the group unfairly in comparison to other artists. They highlighted that LE SSERAFIM debuted prior to NJZ, despite previous agreements suggesting that Min Hee Jin’s group would be the first girl group under HYBE’s banner.
Concerns were also raised regarding HYBE’s interventions in brand endorsements. NJZ’s legal representatives claimed that after Hyein was designated as a brand ambassador for a high-profile fashion label, HYBE stepped in, allegedly advocating for LE SSERAFIM to receive a comparable opportunity. When NJZ sought clarification, the brand reportedly confirmed that HYBE had assumed discussions had already taken place with NJZ.
In response, ADOR’s legal team refuted these allegations, asserting that the endorsement deal for LE SSERAFIM evolved naturally after the group attended a brand event, and their actions did not necessitate prior approval from NJZ.
Furthermore, ADOR cited previous collaborations involving BTS with the same fashion brand as evidence, underscoring they had no prior requirement to seek the approval of HYBE’s BigHit Music before finalizing endorsement agreements.
As the legal momentum continues and speculation mounts regarding a world tour, fans of NJZ are eagerly awaiting further developments regarding their favorite girl group.