Coca-Cola Zero has begun rolling out creative for its ‘Música Zero’ initiative – a high profile and controversial artistic project that revolves around a Metallica concert in the frozen wastelands of Antarctica.
In addition to the band – consisting of heavy metal superstars James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett and Robert Trujillo – this frozen concert offers fans of the band and Coke Zero consumers a chance to participate in a unique Antarctic expedition.
The project’s aim to is to further promote the wonders of a continent reserved for peace, international cooperation and science (and to shift some soft drink too).
The Coke Zero campaign spans five markets – Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica and Mexico – begins with a Twitter-led contest running from 28 October to 22 November.
To enter candidates need to demonstrate the lengths they’d be willing to go to to attend this unprecedented concert experience trip through Coca-Cola Zero’s Twitter account (@CocaColaZeroAr) by using the hashtag #CocaColaZeroAntartida.
A YouTube film (with 36,000 views to date),
and a campaign microsite, plus an international PR push, have launched the initiative.
Metallica are also promoting the campaign through its own channels.
‘After over 30 years as a band, we have been unbelievably fortunate to visit just about every corner of the earth . . . except for one,” said the band on its own website. ‘That is all about to change as we are set travel to Antarctica, the only continent that Metallica has never played on until now!!’
The 10 eventual winners will start their 10-day chilly lifetime adventure on 3 December: embarking from the port of Ushuaia (Tierra del Fuego) and heading for Antarctica.
The cruise will include environmental information and lectures from ecologists and Anartcic specialists, plus audiovisual material on the work of the scientists.
The central event, the Metallica concert, will take place in a gig site close to the heliport of the Carlini Argentine Base and in an unusual live music twist it will be broadcasted to the audience through headphones.
As with most brand-backed live music events, it will also be streamed live from Antarctica via the webpages www.coca-cola.tv and www.coca-cola.fm.
On the cause-related front, the initiative will see Coca-Cola Zero donate equipment for the new laboratory at the Carlini base (which concentrates the largest number of Argentinean scientific investigations and international cooperation).
Coca-Cola Zero will also create a ‘Musica Zero’ documentary which aims to focus on the marvels of the continent and its environmental importance.
Comment
It may seem like a slice of hypocrisy for a soft drinks brand to promote the essential ecology values of an unspoilt and unsettled continent by shipping off some of the nation’s tech-savvy youths to Antarctica to hear a heavy metal concert.
After all, Antarctica operates under a special international Antarctic Treaty which aims to promote awareness on the ecological importance of this continent and safeguard its biodiversity.
Yet perhaps judgement should be reserved for the ongoing level of CSR commitment to the cause and its long term effects.
After all, according to the brand, ‘Música Zero’ complies with the Environmental Impact Assessment developed by the Environmental Management Program and Tourism of the Argentine National Antarctic Directorate (Dirección Nacional del Antártico, DNA) as per the guidelines of the Antarctic Protection Protocol (Madrid Protocol).
But, for an initiative revolving around a region that is a model of global, international corporation, it certainly seems a shame to limit this campaign to just five Latin American markets.
One big question remains – will Metallica play their hit song ‘Trapped Under Ice’?
Links
Coke Zero ‘Música Zero’ Pre Event Webfilm YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XglwE4yH7qs
Coke Zero ‘Música Zero’ Webpage
http://www.coca-colazero.com.ar/es/index.html
Coke Zero ‘Música Zero’ Twitter
Coke Zero Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/cocacolazero
Metallica Website
http://www.metallica.com/news/journey-to-the-bottom-of-the-earth.asp
