The FINANCIAL — The iconic animated Coca-Cola polar bears are back. And, just in time for the Super Bowl XLVI broadcast, they now have a TV, computer, smart phone and tablet device, according to Coca-Cola.
That's right, just like 100 million other football fans from around the world, the Coca-Cola polar bears will tune in to watch the big game as they open happiness with an ice-cold Coke and chill on their "snowfa" in the Arctic.
Coca-Cola is capitalizing on the growing trend of second screen media consumption to extend its connection with fans beyond the television screen to the computer screen and the social media universe. Coca-Cola is launching a unique viewing experience for fans that merges a live digital stream and social media with traditional television advertising. The stars of the campaign are two Coca-Cola polar bears who will be watching the big game live and sharing a Coke from the comforts of their Arctic ice cave.
The digital platform uses proprietary technology to bring the computer-generated polar bears to life through live animation — a technological first for the big game or any media event. The live stream will showcase the animated polar bears' reactions to all the plays on the field, the halftime show and highly anticipated commercials.
On February 5, the profile photo for Coca-Cola will change from the current Coca-Cola logo to an image of the two polar bears. Using the hashtag GameDayPolarBears, the polar bears will be sharing their unique perspectives on the game and engaging directly with consumers. Fans will be able to exchange tweets with the bears and share select moments from the live stream with friends via social media. For example, Twitter followers may see this post from a Coca-Cola polar bear: "If you tweet us photos of your own game day party we'll feature them in our live stream. That is, if the penguin deems them worthy."
While the two polar bears are both football fans, they are rooting for opposing teams, adding to the fun of watching their expressions of delight or frustration as the game unfolds. Throughout the live stream a variety of ancillary characters, including penguins and a young polar bear stop by the bears' snow cave to share a Coke and enjoy the festivities.
Animators will control the bears and their environment during the game using a combination of traditional video gaming controllers and a proprietary PC-based interface. The animators will be stationed in New York City, in a control room located at Major League Baseball's Advanced Media group, which is a leader in the delivery of streaming content.
This is the sixth consecutive year that Coca-Cola commercials will appear during the Super Bowl broadcast. Coca-Cola worked with Wieden + Kennedy in Portland, Ore., to create and produce the CokePolarBowl.com experience and corresponding TV spots. They collaborated with both Animal Logic in Sydney, Australia and Framestore in New York and to develop the animations and digital technology.
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