The Coca-Cola Company

Coca-Cola at the Nokia Theatre

Client Case Study

When the Coca-Cola company's marketing team began a large project to revamp their Los Angeles marketing campaign at the Nokia Theatre, they wisely decided to record the transformation. But what just started out as a video to show their CEO turned into a corporate asset, used to inspire employees at local offices across the country.

Pathlight was subcontracted to create the video by Carlson and Co., the company managing the facelifting project. Carlson asked Pathlight to film a before-and-after sequence of the construction of new concession stands inside the theatre. But after Coca-Cola saw the footage, they asked for more and had us film the exterior changes as well. In addition, Coca-Cola wanted viewers to have a clear sense of space so that those who had never been to the Nokia Theatre could see how all the branding elements work in concert and appear to actual visitors.

Accomplishing all of these requirements proved challenging but we brought it together using a number of techniques. Our shots included sweeping camera pans, dolly moves, and crane shots to show the relationship of physical objects. This is much more effective than piecing together separate static shots because the more you can show in one shot without cutting, the more efficiently you communicate visually.

We also shot extensive coverage of the area by using different camera angles and capturing key moments during the transformation. Finally, the editing was designed to tell a story. The video begins with ambient sounds, then music is brought in once the new transformation occurs. This makes the transitions between key segments distinct, clearly portraying a before-and-after story.

The video was so well-received by the Coca-Cola marketing staff that they used it beyond its original intention, which was to show their CEO at the Atlanta headquarters how they had transformed the Nokia Theatre and expanded their branding presence. After their executive meeting, they sent the video to Coca-Cola's corporate offices around the United States. The investment they made in filming with Pathlight paid off in greater ways as they used the video to efficiently communicate to the entire corporation.