Coca-Cola 'Slimes' Hi-C Packaging for Ghostbusters Re-Up (Includes Video)
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Last Friday, the highly-anticipated action/comedy re-up of the 1984 "Ghostbusters" classic hit theaters, this time starring Kristin Wiig, Melissa McCarthy, Kate McKinnon and Leslie Jones. In honor of the cult classic, Coca-Cola has rereleased a fan favorite for a limited time: Hi-C Ecto Cooler (made by Minute Maid, a division of The Coca-Cola Company). The orange-tangerine citrus drink was beloved by children everywhere from the 80s until 1997. The juice box featured Slimer, the mischievous ghost made of ectoplasm who was caught by the Ghostbusters at the Sedgewick Hotel in the first movie. It was released in the late 80s as a product tie-in with the "Ghostbusters" cartoon series, "The Real Ghostbusters." In 1997 it was renamed Shoutin' Orange Tangergreen and was ultimately discontinued in 2001.
After dedicating more than a decade of time and effort to resurrect the green drink, when the rumblings of a new "Ghostbusters" film began, fans went wild. With Facebook and Instagram fan pages dedicated to Ecto Cooler, Coca-Cola heard the fans' cries. At the end of May, the company released the drink at select locations in both juice box and aluminum can form.
To spice things up, a thermochromic ink was added to the can, turning yellow graphics to a bright green, making it seem as though the can has been slimed after it is chilled.
packagePRINTING, Printing Impressions sister publication, emailed Josh Gold from Coca-Cola who explained that the idea for the can came from a collaboration between Adam Burgess, a strategic design manager, and CMA Brand Presence, the company's creative agency, in order to get consumers excited about the release and provide a special package that would be collected fans of Ecto Cooler.
The thermochromic ink is a cold activated color-to-color ink that was created by Coca-Cola's vendor partner CTI. And although color-changing ink isn't necessarily new on the scene, it was used in just the right way. Packaging is about maximizing consumer engagement, and with the limited release already highly anticipated among nostalgia seekers, turning the packaging into an interactive experience has consumers opting for the aluminum.
To learn more about the product release, watch the video below:
Ashley Roberts is the Managing Editor of the Printing & Packaging Group.
Cory Francer is an Analyst with NAPCO Research, where he leads the team’s coverage of the dynamic and growing packaging market. Cory also is the former editor-in-chief of Packaging Impressions and is still an active contributor to its print magazines, blogs, and events. With a decade of experience as a professional journalist and editor, Cory brings an eye for storytelling to his packaging research, providing compelling insight into the industry's most pressing business issues. He is an active participant in many of the industry's associations and has played an essential role in the development of the annual Digital Packaging Summit. Cory can be reached at cfrancer@napco.com
