I pinched this from Brand Republic,
Coke briefly turns off landmark Piccadilly Circus ad in support of CO2 initiative
LONDON - Coca-Cola Great Britain (CCGB) is switching off its 'Coca-Cola' sign at London's Piccadilly Circus for only the third time since World War II to support WWF's Earth Hour.
WWF's Earth Hour takes place from 8.30 - 9.30pm on Saturday 28 March. WWF is asking one billion people across the world to switch off their lights for one hour in support of action against climate change.
As well as the switch off, CCGB has created an ad dedicated to Earth Hour which will run on the Piccadilly sign from 13 March. The advert runs for 36 seconds and opens with a multitude of bright lightbulbs floating in outer space. To reinforce the message Switch off for Earth Hour', the lightbulbs turn off one by one and the closest bulb then transforms into the Earth. A countdown timer to Earth Hour is also included.
It is estimated that 1.2 million people will see the Earth Hour ad whilst on display on the Piccadilly sign
Earth Hour will also be promoted on the ‘Coke Zone' website and an advert will also run in all football programmes at ‘Coca-Cola' Football League matches on the 28 March, providing 136,000 opportunities for people to see the ad.
Across all materials, people are encouraged to sign-up by either visiting or by texting EARTH to 84800.
Is this an example of a company helping to highlight an issue with it's own money and throwing its support behind a worthy cause? ? Or simply a cynical attempt, via a lame gesture, to jump on a bandwagon?
Okay, I think you know where I stand on this.
A message to you all at Coca Cola, the world has changed, you can't do something so lame and half-arsed and expect to be congratulated for it. If you were at all serious about making a real difference you would move away from illuminated signage altogether - after all what good does it really do? You're just burning money and resources. And before you even start on, it's a tourist attraction, it's part of the culture of this great city, may I respectfully remind you, so were hangings, but Marble Arch has survived pretty well without either.
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