Putting the message where it matters – Coke & Polar Bears.

Polar bears have been Coca-Cola’s for almost a century, and now they really need the brand to help save the endangered animals from extinction. The iconic brand has teamed up with WWF, its longstanding partner in nature focused activities, to launch the new campaign dubbed Arctic Home, encouraging people across the USA to contribute to the polar bear conservation effort during winter season. The brand is making the initial donation of $2 million to WWF, hoping to raise up to $1 million through consumer texting donations. To spread the message across the nation, the brand is changing its visual identity—for the period of the campaign, which is running from November 2011 till March 2012, the iconic red cans will become white with the red ‘Coca-Cola’ inscription and polar bears (a mother bear and her two cubs), and other drinks from the company’s portfolio will get white caps.

Photo: The Coca-Cola Polar Bear can

“We want to help the polar bear—a beloved Coca-Cola icon since 1922—by helping conserve its Arctic habitat. That’s why we’re using one of our greatest assets—our flagship brand, Coca-Cola—to raise awareness for this important cause. And by partnering with WWF, we can truly make a positive difference for these majestic animals,” commentedMuhtar Kent, Chairman and CEO of The Coca-Cola Company. This is the first time the brand decided to change its palette for a cause, usually it just adds some elements or slightly refreshes its packaging design like it was with Diet Coke as part of the Heart Truth campaignor during the celebration of the 125th anniversary of Coca-Cola.

Those, who want to do their part protecting polar bears, can send the package codes from 1.4 billion white Coca-Cola cans or bottles of Coke, Diet Coke, Coke Zero, Sprite, Nestea, Minute Maid and more to 357357 or enter it online at ArcticHome.com—each texting message adds $1 to the total sum of donation. The white packaging will be on shelves from November 1, 2011 through February 2012—the company will sum up the contributions on March 15, the total donation is expected to be $1 million.

Photo: A snapshot from the ArcticHome.com website

According to the press release, the money will be spent on “working with local residents to manage an area high in the Arctic where the summer sea ice will likely persist the longest. This area—potentially covering 500,000 square miles—could provide a home for the polar bear while protecting the cultural and economic needs of local people.” From November 1, visitors to the online destination ArcticHome.com will be able to learn more about polar beers and their Arctic home, take part in live video conversations with WWF scientists, “track virtual polar bear sightings” as well as watch sneak preview footage from the new IMAX film ‘To The Arctic 3D’ by MacGillivray Freeman Films, Warner Bros. Pictures and IMAX Corporation, to be released in 2012 and view Coca-Cola’s ‘Arctic Home’ adverts. Users also can support the action by sharing content from the website using the hashtag #ArcticHome.

Source: POPSOP