Do you remember what you were doing on January 8, 2010?
Chances are you probably don't. Unless, that is, you are one of the 3,600 people who live in the small town of Inuvik in the Northwest Territories of Canada.
After 30 days of complete darkness (thanks to the Earth's axial tilt and the orbit of the moon) a 100,000 lumen, 36-foot wide helium balloon lit up the town's sky, drawing the Inuvik residents together to celebrate in wonder and, for the first time in a month, light.
The source of this "arctic sun" you ask. Tropicana. Yes, the same company that makes the orange juice you enjoy each morning.In a brilliant move of emotional marketing, the folks at Tropicana took the time, paid the money, and traveled the distance to restore "sunlight" to the people of Inuvik...while of course taking the opportunity to give away several cases of free OJ. All because Tropicana believes "brighter mornings make for brighter days."
While the tagline is a bit lame, the beauty and wonder of this commercial is not in the ad itself, but the fact that a billion dollar corporation even sawInuvik - a town so obscure few people could point to it on a map. And not only did they see it, they told a story about it.
That's the whole commercial. Nothing about the health benefits of drinking orange juice, or the fact that more kids prefer the Tropicana brand, or even that drinking Tropicana will make you happier in the morning. No, this commercial simply tells the story about something unique that happened to a small town of people in Canada.
We are drawn to stories infused with meaning and inspiration and these stories have the ability to shift our minds, hearts, and even spending habits. Clearly Tropicana is one of the companies starting to "get it," and I think if you pay attention you'll see exceedingly more join them in the pursuit of creative, corporate storytelling.
The commercial features the song "The Great Escape" by Patrick Watson - a great song on it's own with a cool music video, too.
Tropicana - "Brighter Days"
