Riley's Commercial

Riley Jones

09.05.2014

Ms. Klasen

English 10

The SuperBowl is well known in America for having some of the best commercials. Companies pay top money to get a good slot in what is usually one of the most watched "shows" in America. This commercial by Coca-Cola is most definitely targeting football (American football, that is) fans, which is clearly shown through the actions of the polar bear and the premise of the commercial itself. Presuming the original commercial aired during the SuperBowl, the polar bear is stressed out because his team is either losing, or barely winning. His friends toss him the Coca-Cola bottle, but he fumbles it, which every football fan knows and fears. In the end, the bear does catch it, which creates the idea of the bottle symbolizing the ball.

This commercial is appealing because it is cute, and football fans will relate to this. The animation and use of animals for characters makes it appealing not only for adults, but also to small children as the SuperBowl is usually a family affair. I like this commercial not only because I find the bears cute, but also because I remember a bit of the campaign behind it. For a time, Coca-Cola donated a portion of its proceeds to the World Wildlife Foundation in support of the polar bears, whose home was, and still is, disappearing. So, the commercial both makes me smile and remember that Coca-Cola tries to be a world-conscious company.

The main technique that is used in this commercial is to focus on the brand featured on the bottle. This clearly states the product while allowing the commercial to have no words. They also make it relatable, since every football fan knows what it's like to watch with baited breath to see if their team with make the catch. I know that Coca-Cola also released a few shorter commercials before this, involving the two polar bears in the beginning and penguins to build up the familiarity with the characters.