USA Today profiles Coke's latest, Orwellian, "sweepstakes" technology:
Consumers who find the winning cans activate the technology to call a pre-programmed hotline. They then must agree that Coke "search teams," using the GPS tracker, can surprise them anyplace, anytime up to three weeks to deliver the prizes, which include a 2005 Chevy Equinox SUV, a chance on $1 million through Harrah's Casino, Disney vacations and home entertainment systems.Posted by nchicha at May 13, 2004 06:43 AMThe technology tracks cans to within about 50 feet anywhere in America, and winners must carry the cans at all times until one of five prize teams around the country shows up to exchange the prize for the can. "It's all about the surprise," Schiller says…
…A sweepstakes ad begins May 17. In it, two teens at a summer job are caught making out in a storeroom. A Coke team in helicopters and CIA-looking vehicles delivers an Equinox to the guy, who had his Coke can at his side while nuzzling his co-worker.
Hey, I thought Pepsi was the official cola of bad promotional ideas. But now I'm wondering what the can of Coke on my desk has been doing... watching, waiting, reporting back to it's masters.
That's it. I'm switching to a less surveillance oriented soda.
Posted by: rasputin on May 13, 2004 08:02 AM