Package Design | packagedesignmag.com

By Linda Casey

Coca-Cola and World Wildlife Fund (WWF) use limited edition packaging in a campaign to help protect the polar bear's Arctic home. For the first time ever, Coca-Cola is turning its iconic red cans white in celebration of the polar bear and committing up to $3 million to WWF's polar bear conservation efforts. The company is also asking U.S. consumers to join the "Arctic Home" campaign by texting donations.

"We want to help the polar bear -- a beloved Coca-Cola icon since 1922 -- by helping conserve its Arctic habitat," says Muhtar Kent, Chairman and CEO of The Coca-Cola Company. "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."

This is the first time Coca-Cola will change the color of its red cans to support a cause. More than 1.4 billion white Coke cans will be distributed this holiday season to help raise awareness and funds to protect the polar bear's home. White bottle caps also will be on bottles of Coke, Diet Coke, Coke Zero, Sprite, Nestea, Minute Maid and more.

Changes to come November 1, 2011, include:

• The familiar red can background will be replaced with an all-white panorama,
• The Coca-Cola script will be printed in red
• An image of a mother bear and her two cubs making their way across the Arctic will be added
• A package code will be added to the cans that will encourage consumers to make a donation at ArcticHome.com or by texting the package code to 357357 by March 15, 2012. Coca-Cola will match these donations up to $1 million. This is in addition to Coca-Cola’s initial donation of $2 million to WWF.

The white packaging will be on store shelves through February 2012.

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