Arctic Home AR (Polar Bears)

Objective

Coca-Cola launched its first large-scale augmented reality activation for U.S. mass audience during the 2019 holiday season. The campaign leveraged the brand's iconic polar bear mascots to drive mobile app engagement and downloads during peak shopping months. In partnership with WWF, the initiative also aimed to raise awareness of climate challenges facing polar bear populations.

Solution

Users scanned specially marked Coca-Cola cans and bottles using the official Coca-Cola mobile app (iOS and Android) to unlock interactive AR experiences featuring the polar bear family in an 'arctic home' setting. The AR scenes included sledding sequences inspired by Coca-Cola's 2013 holiday commercial, snowball fights, and animated holiday light shows. Scanning two cans together triggered an additional scene where polar bears performed 'Jingle Bells' on glass bottles. Six-pack carriers unlocked separate Santa Claus-themed experiences. The technology relied on smartphone camera scanning built into the Coca-Cola app. The campaign was developed collaboratively by in-house agency KO:OP, Coca-Cola Digital Platforms, and creative agency Tactic. Alongside the AR launch, Coca-Cola also introduced a limited-time cinnamon-flavored version of its classic soda for the holidays.

Results

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