Coca-Cola Japan shot its new TV advertising segments with 3D technology but will be airing them in regular 2D because most homes still don’t have 3D TVs.
Coca-Cola, which has recorded four straight years of sales growth in Japan, showed 3D footage of former soccer star Hidetoshi Nakata zipping downhill on a sled and pop singer Namie Amuro on a motorcycle at a Tokyo hotel Tuesday.
President Dan Sayre said Coca-Cola is serious about “winning in 3D” as the first major company in Japan to use the technology in a TV ad blitz.
“We believe we are leading that phenomenon in the industry,” he told reporters.
The company hopes to show it’s different from other brands, resist price falls and work closely with suppliers to boost profits, he said.
Japan was one of the overseas markets that contributed to robust fourth-quarter earnings at Atlanta-based Coca-Cola Co., the world’s largest drinks maker.
As in other markets, it is turning to bottled tea blends, canned coffee and other drinks, not just soda, to woo Japanese.
In outlining this year’s strategy, Coca-Cola showed several ads in the works, including those with “maiko” geisha apprentices and “itamae” sushi chefs to push a Japan-only bottled green-tea drink.
Such footage will look fuzzy without special 3D TVs, and so will be shown at some stores and events where 3D TVs and glasses will be provided, the company said.
3D TVs are drawing attention in Japan, where a fifth of Sony TVs sold during the holiday season. Still, that makes for only a handful of Japanese homes. The dearth of 3D content is one reason why the technology has yet to catch on.
