Although Coca-Cola (Japan) Co. shot its new TV advertising segments with 3-D technology, it will be airing them in regular 2-D as most homes don't have TVs advanced enough to view them.
The company, which has recorded four straight years of sales growth in Japan, showed 3-D footage of former soccer star Hidetoshi Nakata zipping down on a sled and pop singer Namie Amuro on a motorcycle at a Tokyo hotel Tuesday.
President Dan Sayre said Coca-Cola is serious about "winning in 3-D" as the first major company in Japan to use the technology in a TV ad blitz.
"We believe we are leading that phenomenon in the industry," he told reporters.
The company hopes to show it's different from other brands, resist price falls and work closely with suppliers to boost profits, he said.
Japan was one of the overseas markets that contributed to robust fourth-quarter earnings at Atlanta-based Coca-Cola Co., the world's largest drinks maker.
In outlining this year's strategy, Coca-Cola showed several ads in the works, including with "maiko," or geisha apprentices, and "itamae" sushi chefs to push a Japan-only bottled green-tea drink.
Reporters were handed Sony Corp. 3-D glasses to view the ads, in which images seemed to burst from the screen.
Images can look fuzzy without special 3-D TVs, and so will be shown at stores and events where 3-D TVs and glasses will be provided, the company said.
The popularity of 3-D TVs is on the up in Japan, accounting for a fifth of Sony TVs sold during the holiday season.
