Polar Bears inspire Coca-Cola to turn red cans white for WWF

Yup, those iconic ads have been around for a few years now. Coke and the polar bear go waaay back.  In fact, many of us probably even identify the brand Coca-Cola with these majestic beasts (I know I do, especially during the holiday season).  So: what’s Coca-Cola doing to help protect these creatures that have been so important to their advertising strategy for so many years?

I was very excited to find out that the answer to that question is, actually, quite a lot.
This holiday season, white will be the new red. Coca-Cola will change the colour of its iconic red can for a cause, in honour of another icon, the polar bear. The “Arctic Home” campaign will help raise awareness and funds to support World Wildlife Fund (WWF) efforts to protect the polar bear’s Arctic habitat.
With nearly two-thirds of the world’s polar bears living in Canada, this Arctic species is an important part of our ecosystem and culture. Coca-Cola will contribute $2 million to WWF over the next five years, and through the “Arctic Home” campaign, will match consumer donations made by March 15, 2012, up to $1 million USD.

“This campaign is about working together to save one of the most important places on Earth,” said Gerald Butts, President and CEO of World Wildlife Fund. “As sea ice continues to melt at alarming rates, polar bears and local communities alike are threatened. With Coca-Cola’s support, we can expand our reach and impact to help chart a sustainable future for this critical Arctic ecosystem.”
On iCoke.ca, visitors can explore, experience and learn about the polar bear and its Arctic home. They can watch video chats with WWF scientists, track virtual polar bear sightings, and make donations online.
I have been a big fan of this kind of “ethical giving” for a few years now. I use it as a way to cover all those hard-to-buy-for people. Relatives who have everything? Easy answer: make a donation in their name. Want to make a gesture of goodwill to a large group of people? Make a donation. I do this at school with my students. I will adopt an animal or make a donation in their name, then send a note home at the holidays to let them know that this is my way of sharing the holiday spirit with them. This year, I’m going to ask them to make a donation through iCoke.ca themselves.
This year, share the generosity of the season with those who need our help more than ever: the amazing and iconic polar bear. For more information and to donate, visit iCoke.ca.
To learn more about how Coca-Cola and WWF have partnered to help protect the polar bears Arctic home click on this amazing video.