A polar-bear-sized fundraise to protect the last great arctic refuge.
- Client
- Coca-Cola × WWF
- Year
- 2011
- What we did
- Campaign, PR, Production
- Result
- Over $2M donated in year one · Webby winner
By the numbers
- 1.4Bwhite Coca-Cola cansThe first time Coca-Cola ever turned its red can white: a polar bear and her cubs on 1.4 billion cans across the US and Canada.
- $2M+donated to WWF in year oneDonations to WWF's work protecting the Arctic home of polar bears, from fans and Coca-Cola's matching gift.
- 2Bmedia impressionsImpressions are the number of times the campaign was seen, across news, TV, social and the cans themselves.
- $560Mtotal value of earned mediaWhat the press coverage would have cost if it had been bought as advertising.
- 15Xreturn on investment
Coca-Cola wanted everyone to join them in helping save the polar bear. With WWF we created Arctic Home, a campaign to protect the polar bear's last great refuge, and Snowball Effect, a game that turned play into donations.
Polar bears were losing the sea ice they hunt on
Polar bears depend on Arctic sea ice, and the ice was shrinking. WWF had a plan: protect the area of the high Arctic where summer sea ice is expected to last the longest, a last refuge for the bears.
WWF's goal was to raise about $10 million to make that refuge real. It needed millions of people, not just a few big donors.
Coca-Cola had used polar bears in its advertising for decades. It wanted to help, and to bring everyday Coke drinkers along with it.
For the first time ever, Coke turned its red can white
Arctic Home launched in October 2011. From November through February, 1.4 billion Coca-Cola cans in the US and Canada were white, carrying a mother polar bear and her cubs.
Every can was a way to give. You could text to donate, and Coke matched donations made with a package code, up to $1 million, on top of its own $2 million commitment to WWF.
The white can turned the most familiar package in the world into a campaign. It put the cause on shelves across North America.
A snowball-fight game that taught people about the Arctic
We wanted people to take part by doing something they already love: playing games with friends. So we made Snowball Effect, an iPhone game for the campaign with 7-Eleven.
You challenged friends to snowball fights, entered codes from Coke packaging and 7-Eleven cups, and checked in at stores. Each one grew your snowball and your chance at prizes, including a trip to the Arctic.
The more people played and shared, the more they learned about polar bears and spread the word. Snowball Effect won a One Show Gold, an ADDY Gold, an FWA and a How Design award.
Snowball fights
Challenge your friends to virtual snowball fights.
Can codes
Enter codes from Coke packaging and 7-Eleven cups to earn points.
Check-ins
Check in at 7-Eleven stores to grow your snowball.
Over $2 million for polar bears in the first year
After year one, Coca-Cola and WWF announced that more than $2 million had been donated. That was $1.8 million raised by fans and Coke's match, plus the first $400,000 of Coke's five-year commitment.
Coke called Arctic Home the most successful retail partnership in its history. Our own tally at the time counted about 2 billion media impressions.
Arctic Home won the 2013 Webby for cause-based campaigns. It also took a New York Festivals Silver and an Epica Bronze.
For the first time ever, Coke turned its can white.
Gallery
Recognition
7 awards and 1 shortlist from 7 shows, 2012–2013.
| Year | Show | Award | Category |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Webby | #1 Causes Campaign of the Year | |
| 2013 | FWA | Winner | Interactive |
| 2013 | Webby | Shortlist | Mobile |
| 2012 | One Show | Gold | Entertainment |
| 2012 | ADDY | Gold | |
| 2012 | New York Festivals | Silver | Integrated |
| 2012 | Epica | Bronze | Integrated |
| 2012 | How Design | Winner | Interactive |
Nothing at that level from that show.
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