Coca‑Cola GB spreads a little happiness with the launch of the Happiness Factory ad
New ad launches on TV today, Monday March 16th, featuring an exclusive global track by a super group of international stars including Cee-lo and members of Fall Out Boy, Gym Class Heroes and Panic at the Disco
This week sees 'Coca‑Cola' take on the role of transmedia story-teller, as the new Happiness Factory ad further immerses consumers in the next chapter of the fantastical world inside a 'Coca‑Cola' vending machine.
The now famous Happiness Factory workers are the stars of this series of uplifting 'stories' that bring their magical world to life across multiple media channels. The latest installment sees a fully integrated campaign including a new TV ad, a radio promotion across Magic FM and the Big City Network, on pack and instore promotions and dedicated point of sale. In addition a Bebo 'Happiness Hub', has been created, as well as an MSN games application and a music track featuring some of the coolest acts from the worlds of rock and hip hop, alongside outdoor, radio, and even the chance for consumers to have free Happiness Factory ringtones bluetoothed to them for free, direct from the world-famous Piccadilly sign.
In addition the campaign will see two media firsts in the form of an innovative new Xbox partnership. This will include a 3 million Xbox point giveaway, online 'Coca‑Cola' Xbox gaming gurus giving tips and advice and the chance for gamers to customize their Xbox dashboard.
The ad, which airs for the first time in Great Britain, hits cinemas on 13th March and TV screens on 16th, features a track created by a global supergroup comprised of Cee-lo, Patrick Stump from Fall Out Boy, Brendon Urie from Panic at the Disco, Travis McCoy from Gym Class Heroes and up and coming r'n'b sensation Janelle Monae. The track will go on sale via iTunes today, March 16th.
The latest 'Happiness Factory' spot is the latest in a series of award-winning commercials. The new tale is one of uplift - told through the dramatisation of the physical and emotional uplift provided by a 'Coke'. The narrative centres around the premise that inside the unassuming exterior of every 'Coke' vending machine is a gateway to the Happiness Factory - a mystical land where deliciously imaginative creatures work to ensure the magic of 'Coca‑Cola' is in every bottle.
Cathryn Sleight, marketing director at Coca‑Cola Great Britain, explains, "This latest Coca‑Cola Happiness Factory campaign adopts a truly transmedia approach to bring our consumers on an uplifting and compelling narrative journey. This new transmedia approach is at the cutting edge of marketing innovation and the different platforms allow us to reach different consumers in a number of innovative ways. For example using key teen passion points of music, social networking and gaming allow us to reach a new generation of 'Coke' fans, whilst more traditional routes continue to reach the older demographic".
Preview the ad by clicking here or on the image below.
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For further details please contact: Ruth Barley 020 7908 6451 ruth@sixpr.com. Nic Rider 020 7908 6473 nic@sixpr.com.
Notes to Editors
Happiness Factory: The Ad
It is the middle of the afternoon and a student decides it's time for a break. He yawns as he heads over to a vending machine for a Coke, and a lookout worker inside the 'Happiness Factory' can't help but yawn in response and sends an infectious ripple of yawns across the workers inside. Their works slows down and their focus is clearly diminished. Realizing the situation "Wendy," the quirky majorette character, claps to summon the "Yawnbusters" - hands that break through the scenery to deliver refreshing Coca‑Cola to everyone. Revitalized and invigorated by a Coke their yawns are replaced with the trademark energetic five-note whistle of the Happiness Factory.
It was produced by Wieden+Kennedy Amsterdam using "state-of-the-art" animation techniques, by a team of 3-D animators from animation agency PSYOP.
The commercial will be aired in 30".
Happiness Factory : The Music
A new element to the campaign is the extension of the music into a single. The Coca‑Cola Company and Warner Music have teamed up to record and release a music track featuring some of the coolest acts from the worlds of rock and hip hop. The track, which will accompany the Happiness Factory TVC, uses the famous 5 note melody. The track is a unique collaboration, featuring the combined and diverse talents of Cee-Lo, Patrick Stump from Fall Out Boy, Brendon Urie from Panic at the Disco, Travis McCoy from Gym Class Heroes and P-Diddy's latest protégé and Grammy-nominated Janelle Monae. The track is an upbeat, up tempo expression of the message of uplift delivered in the new commercial. It will be available to download from iTunes from 16th March.
Happiness Factory: The website
Another part of the global entertainment package is a brand new Happiness Factory gaming website, which allows Coke fans to interact with and explore the fantastic world inside the Coke vending machine through a graphically rich and engaging online gaming experience. Adopting the role of a worker in the Happiness Factory, a player is entrusted with a list of tasks; from running on top of a coin down the mountain to a high speed journey through the ice world of the Penguins to directing the orchestra to the rhythm of the "Open Happiness" song. Through the new website, Coca‑Cola has pushed the limits of available technology to bring visitors amazing richness of detail to truly immerse themselves in the world of the Happiness Factory.
Happiness Factory: The Story So Far...
'Happiness Factory' was launched in 2006 as part of the 'Coke Side of Life campaign designed to express the values of 'optimism' and 'positivity' that have always been at the heart of the Coca‑Cola brand. Since its launch, "Happiness Factory" has gone on to become the highest rated commercial that The Coca‑Cola Company has ever tested. Now airing in over 100 countries, the ad has received global acclaim and many advertising industry accolades, including a "Silver Lion" at the 2007 Cannes advertising awards; the "Grand Prix Gold Prize" at the 2006 Epica Awards and most recently, the MAX award for the Best Advertising and Branding category.
About The Coca‑Cola Company
Coca‑Cola remains one of the most successful and innovative brands in the world today. On-going brand and product innovation continues to reinforce this position of leadership in the soft drinks category. In 2008 'Coca‑Cola' trade mark had a fantastic year with retail sales growing by 3.6% to £514.5 million and this year in January 2009 the brand experienced the best January to date. The My Coke portfolio (which includes 'Coca‑Cola', 'diet Coke' and 'Coca‑Cola' Zero) in 2008 had a total revenue of £970.41m. The cola sector as a whole is a huge part of the £6bn soft drinks category and is worth £1.3bn in retail sales. Meanwhile, 'Coco-Cola' Zero, which has been hailed as the biggest NPD launch in over 20 years, is now worth £56.2m.
'Coca‑Cola', 'Coke', 'diet Coke', 'diet Coca‑Cola', 'Coca‑Cola Zero' and 'Coke Zero' are registered trade marks of The Coca‑Cola Company.
