Coke Zero drinkable billboard (Photo : Twitter)
Coca-Cola and ad agency Ogilvy & Mather debuted the world's first drinkable billboard. The billboard ad campaign made history when it served Coke Zero at the NCAA Final Four college basketball game in Indianapolis, Indiana last week.
The gimmick was located at the White River State Park. A 26 by 36-foot, 23,000-pound billboard used 4,500 feet of straw to dispense low-calorie Coke Zero. The straw spelled out the words "Taste It," and then traveled to a sampling area with six fountain spouts located at the base of the billboard, according to Ad Week.
The billboard forwarded liquid and air through the straw tubes to give the appearance it was emptying. It used enough compressed air to fill all of the basketballs used during the NCAA tournament.
The billboard was part of the soft drink king's "drinkable" campaign that also included a concert, free drink coupons, and drinkable flyers, according to The Drum. In one smartphone game, contestants hurried to "drink" a virtual bottle full of Coke.
They blew into their phones' microphones, which caused the soft drink to disappear through a straw. The first person to complete the bottle of Coke won a real one.
The billboard was the first ad from Ogilvy since the agency won the work from Coke last year.
Racquel Mason, vice president of Coca-Cola North America explained that many people "actually don't" know how Coke Zero tastes. The drinkable advertising was a "fun and unique" way to try the beverage.
The Coca-Cola Company introduced Coke Zero in 2005. It is mainly marketed to men, and advertised as tasting the same as standard Coca-Cola.
