Coca-Cola Arctic Home
Arctic Home: Coca-Cola’s most successful holiday campaign of all time
With over 1.2 billion media impressions and $10 million raised for conservation,
we created a polar bear refuge and a new model for cause marketing.
The Challenge
The Arctic sea ice is disappearing at an alarming rate, and with it, the primary habitat of the polar bear. To bring global attention to this crisis and raise funds for an international polar bear refuge, Coca-Cola and World Wildlife Fund partnered to launch Arctic Home. Today, the campaign continues with interactive installations including Augmented Reality and has raised millions.
“The experience generated 1.2B media impressions, surpassing media benchmarks.”
The Interactive Hub
Working together with the WWF, we built a fully immersive, interactive world that invited users to venture out onto the a virtual expedition platform where they could:
• Track five real polar bears in real time via satellite collars
• Explore bite-sized, discoverable content hidden across the icy landscape
• Donate to the refuge and earn points for limited-edition rewards
• Share their journey with friends, fostering a viral momentum
The Polar Bear’s Journey
Virtual explorers could meet 5 real polar bears and follow them on their journey through the Arctic via WWF satellite collars. This experience beckoned visitors to return time and again, forging a heartwarming connection with their favorite polar bear companions. With each visit, new shareable content awaited discovery, inspiring a drive to continuing exploration and supporting the refuge's cause.
“Through donations and Coca Cola’s own pledge, Arctic Home raised $10 Million. ”
🎬 60+ Original Videos + Story-Driven Microcontent
Using awe-inspiring footage from the IMAX film Into the Arctic, I wrote, voice-directed and supervised the edit of more than 60 short-form videos that were hidden throughout the experience alongside shareable infographics, photography and “Easter egg” discoveries that rewarded repeat visits.
“Research showed a 10% increase in brand love during Arctic Home’s first year. ”
The Iconic First Polar Bear Can
In a first, Coca-Cola redesigned its classic red can to stark Arctic white—featuring a mother bear and cub. Each can included a unique code, driving consumers to the site to unlock content and earn points. The can itself became a cultural moment, generating buzz across media and retail.
Social Amplification Strategy
I led the storytelling strategy for Arctic Home across Facebook, Twitter and YouTube—designing a social cadence that tapped into polar bear personalities, shared real-time updates and inspired community action. Social content fueled site traffic, repeat engagement and momentum for donations.
“Following the evaluation of engagement, sales and societal impact, the campaign was determined to be Coca-Cola’s most successful holiday campaign of all time.”
The Impact
• 1.2 billion media impressions and significant global press coverage
• $10 million raised for polar bear habitat preservation
• 10% boost in Coca-Cola brand love
• 2% increase in Coca-Cola global brand reputation
• A significant holiday sales increase compared to previous years
• The most successful campaign in Coca-Cola Canada’s history
• Deepened WWF donor engagement