How do you explain sustainable packaging technology in a fun, entertaining way?     

That’s the challenge Coke’s PlantBottle Packaging team gave to a handful of creative agencies late last year after gaining inspiration from everything from satirical news shows, to cheeky yet informative public service announcements (PSAs), to Saturday morning cartoon sing-alongs. 

“When it comes to simplifying complex topics, humor and playfulness work,” said Andrew Rodbell, marketing director, PlantBottle. “We wanted to take a rational, functional story about the environment and transform it into a simple, emotional story that would break the mold of corporate sustainability marketing.”

The end result is a charming video released this week. The animated film, created by Atlanta-based Sagepath, is anchored by a catchy song with plainspoken lyrics that explain why “Plants are our friends, and you can make bottles out of them.” 

“We hope the film will tap into viewers' passion for plants and entice them to want to learn more about PlantBottle packaging,” Rodbell added.

The clip follows 2014’s “Pendulum Wave,” a creative film that invited viewers to “see bottles differently.” The clip showed eight PlantBottles forming mesmerizing patterns as they swing back and forth, in sync with a rhythmic soundtrack, before reverting back to a single wave. The spot, created by Eepybird, the creative folks behind the viral Diet Coke and Mentos films from a few years back, invites viewers to “see bottles differently."