A Deceptive Bear Catch: Deciphering the Persuasive Strategies in the Coca-Cola Commercial

Kyanni
5 min readNov 8, 2023

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Imagine a setting where a curious bear spots a Coca-Cola bottle that is teetering on the edge of a shelf in a busy supermarket. The bear’s determination and dexterity are evident as it attempts to “catch” the desired beverage. Coca-Cola, a well-known brand throughout the world, seeks to captivate its audience and influence them to select its beverage. This essay explores the “Catch NE Bear” commercial’s clever use of persuasion.

Watch the 2012 Coke commercial: “Catch” featuring NE_Bear | Coca-Cola #Commercials — YouTube

As the name implies, the “Catch NE Bear” commercial features a bear’s hilarious misadventures in trying to obtain a bottle of Coca-Cola. Although it looks simply, it uses a variety of persuasive strategies that go beyond simply presenting the product.

To completely understand the impact of the Coca-Cola commercial, one needs to pay close attention to its subtleties, including the print text and background. These particulars may provide information.

One of the best advertising gimmicks is the appeal to belonging. By showcasing a variety of age groups and nationalities consuming Coca-Cola together, this commercial successfully takes advantage of this. This implies that consuming Coca-Cola can foster inclusivity and a sense of belonging by integrating you into a global community.

Coca-Cola has a long history of being connected to comfort and familiarity. This advertisement takes advantage of this by highlighting the enjoyment and leisure that come with sipping Coca-Cola. With its upbeat soundtrack and calming visuals, the product makes the spectator feel pleased.

This commercial appeals to nostalgia by utilizing classic Coca-Cola branding from several eras. By doing this, it evokes positive memories and associations with the past and invites viewers to relive their own sentimental moments with Coca-Cola. Despite Coca-Cola’s widespread recognition and iconic image, this advertisement creates a sense of surprise by showcasing exciting new flavors and product variations. It suggests that Coca-Cola is constantly changing to meet the evolving preferences and needs of its consumers.

The commercial uses storytelling as a means of holding viewers’ attention. The story is centered on the bear’s mischievous behavior, telling a story about willpower and the quest for sustenance. Our mind is profoundly affected by storytelling, which strengthens our emotional bond with the brand. The story’s appeal is further increased by comedy and anthropomorphism, which gives the bear human characteristics.

The ad successfully plays on our feelings. As we see the bear’s actions play out, it makes us laugh, feel sorry for the bear, and feel amazed. Our memories and individual experiences are intricately entwined with these feelings, forging a potent emotional bond with the brand. A timeless advertising tactic, emotional appeal appeals to the viewer’s emotions and leaves a lasting impact.

There is an element of surprise added by the unexpected turn of events at the end of the advertisement, when the bear’s companion appears. This tactic keeps the audience interested and curious to find out how the narrative plays out. Advertising may effectively use surprise to keep viewers’ attention and create a lasting impression.

The “Catch NE Bear” commercial’s deft use of sound creates a memorable impression. The bear’s antics are matched by the lively and catchy soundtrack, which heightens the story’s emotional effect. Since music has a strong emotional impact, it amplifies the happiness and good times connected to Coca-Cola. The clever use of sound in the advertisement is like a catchy jingle that sticks in the mind of the audience long after the commercial has ended.

In the Coca-Cola commercial “A Deceptive Bear Catch,” the sound design is essential to raising the audience’s emotional connection to the piece. The sound components in the advertisement are deliberately chosen to accentuate the message’s persuasive power and to set a certain mood.

The background music is one of the commercial’s main auditory elements. The commercial uses a catchy, upbeat song that not only sticks in your head but also supports its upbeat theme. This song contributes to the atmosphere by evoking feelings of joy and happiness, which are then connected to the Coca-Cola brand.

To further enhance the depth and immersion of the narrative, sound effects are also carefully employed. Examples of these are the rustling of leaves, the bear’s growl, and the protagonists’ happy laughter. A touch of surprise and tension is added by the bear’s roar, and the happy sounds and laughing highlight the touching turn of events in the tale. These audio components blend seamlessly with the visuals to produce a multi-sensory experience that enthralls viewers and makes an impact.

In conclusion, the sound design in the Coca-Cola commercial is an effective tool that enhances visual storytelling by invoking feelings, establishing the mood, and strengthening the brand’s message. It is a perfect illustration of how well-targeted advertising appeals to the audience’s senses.

In addition, the final phrase of the advertisement uses the slogan, “Open a Coke and share the joy.” The essence of the brand’s message is captured in this succinct and memorable tagline. Focusing on the act of sharing and feeling delight, it connects to the product’s universal appeal. This catchphrase sticks in the memory of the audience, reiterating the notion that selecting Coca-Cola is about more than simply the beverage — it’s about the joy and shared experiences it fosters.

Coca-Cola’s emphasis on sharing appears frequently in its marketing. Coca-Cola sharing is portrayed as bringing people together and a nice experience. The ad gently suggests that choosing Coca-Cola is about more than just sipping a drink — it’s about celebrating life’s little victories with people. This speaks to the viewer’s desire for identification and a sense of belonging — two of Fowles’ “15 Basic Appeals.”

A variety of persuasive strategies are skillfully used in the Coca-Cola commercial “Catch NE Bear” to captivate viewers and influence them to select Coca-Cola. It creates a memorable and powerful advertisement by skillfully fusing storytelling, emotional appeal, surprise, and the universal appeal of sharing.

Despite my sincere admiration for Coca-Cola goods, my assessment of the advertisement is not purely biased. It is based on a critical examination of the commercial’s persuasive strategies and message-delivery capabilities. The commercial’s success in the advertising industry is demonstrated by its capacity to arouse strong feelings and build an enduring bond with the target audience.

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