Coca-Cola’s “Living” Billboard

As Coca-Cola expands its green initiative, they have unveiled a “living” billboard made out of plants.  In Manila, Philippines, Coca-Cola and the World Wildlife Foundation (WWF) has partnered to produced a 60×60 foot billboard advertisement made out of 3600 Fukien tea plants.  The plants are potted in recycled Coca-Cola bottles that contain organic fertilizers, and are watered by a drip irrigation system.  These plants can absorb 13 pounds of carbon dioxide each year, meaning that this billboard will absorb over 46800 pounds of carbon dioxide in a year (if the billboard was kept up for a full year).

This is quite an innovative advertisement by Coca-Cola and the WWF, as it really shows that both organization’s seriousness in sustainability.  Having the Coca-Cola silhouette in the center of the billboard is also ingenious, as viewers from far away can see Coca-Cola’s brand presence without having to really see any words.  So at the very least, any one that sees this billboard will recognize it as a Coca-Cola ad.  And for those that look closely, they will read the message of “This billboard absorbs air pollutants” and see that the greenery making up the bottle silhouette are actually plants.

There has not been any official word on whether this billboard will appear in North American cities, but it seems very likely given all the positive feedback and media that the ad has generated. Since urbanized cities like Toronto, New York, and Los Angeles are the most pollution-generating cities, setting up these billboards in the city’s downtown core are suitable options.

A win-win situation for Coca-Cola, showcasing their green initiatives, creativity, and getting positive media impressions not just in Manila, but elsewhere around the world.