December 4th: Polar Pops

One of the most successful advertising campaigns of all time just got a whole lot bigger.

Introduced for the first time as early as the 1920s, the polar bear has been a mainstay in Coca-Cola’s advertising campaigns. The ads spun off into a campaign with the World Wildlife Fund to help protect the bears, creating something of a symbiotic relationship between the advertisers and the furry friends that have helped to launch the company into the hearts of billions of people around the globe. Through the over 80 years of polar bear-based Coke ads, the animation and characterization has changed and developed, advancing as technology allows. Now, they are ready to take yet another step forward in the hopes of selling their iconic brand.

A short, six minute movie has been produced, featuring the Coca-Cola polar bears. Yes, that is how they are introduced. At first glance, it would be totally reasonable to believe that it is simply a children’s movie with polar bears as the protagonist, but within moments, Coke removes all doubt of their stamp on the film.

This is a brilliant move on the part of the Coca-Cola Company for several reasons. The timing is also pretty well scripted. The film trailers were featured in new releases such as the Hunger Games, which hit theaters just a few days after Coke announced their intentions to donate their advertising budget for the coming period to disaster relief in the Philippines. While donating their money in such a public way is definitely doing good work for the world, it is also a form of free advertising. The money that Coke sent to the Philippines also helped to create a positive media buzz that can’t hurt Coke’s bottom line. Having a six minute advertising movie can’t hurt their case.

It is also interesting to note the target audience for the short film. The expectation is not that older media consumers will stumble upon this film. The most significant demographic for this movie is children, who will seek out some screen time with their new favorite white friends. I’m sure there will be stuffed animals, t-shirts, and other merchandise running in parallel to the movie and even further infiltration into our homes. What this does is get children hooked on a brand before they are trained to understand the complexity of advertising and how it affects them. By getting them while they’re young, Coke is maximizing their ad profits, because they have the potential to create a connection with the individuals who will be their target audience not only now, but for the rest of their lives.

As one of the most innovative advertising companies in the world, Coca-Cola continues to find new ways to get their names out there and into the homes of consumers. Without analysis or thought, it can leave consumers completely at the mercy of the corporation.