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That time we let Coca-Cola bottles predict our fortunes for the new year

Krista Rogers Jan 9, 2023
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Limited-time campaign comes complete with cute AR bunnies for the Year of the Rabbit.

Omikuji are personal fortunes that you can purchase at most shrines and temples throughout Japan. While the standard kind comes in the form of a thinly rolled up piece of paper, there are other forms, too–including the virtual ones that Coca-Cola Japan has just released to celebrate the start of the new year.

Determined to start 2023 with some positive vibes, our Japanese-language reporter Masanuki Sunakoma bought a couple of bottles of the drink. From the front, they looked like completely ordinary bottles.

However, twisting them sideways revealed some cute bunny illustrations to celebrate the Year of the Rabbit.

The yellow note instructed him to peel back the label to reveal a QR code, which he could then scan to play a quick game and receive his fortune.

Masanuki sat down to unveil his first QR code when all of a sudden his SoraSenses went into overdrive. Something was coming…and he didn’t like the sound of it.

That “something” turned out to be his editor-in-chief and occasional kiddie-pool-hair-flipper Go Hatori, sprinting over to him with a demonic grin.

Masanuki’s apprehension turned out to be entirely warranted as Go enthusiastically shoved him out of his seat.

▼ The unceremonious moment of impact

“Too much play and not enough work!” yelled Go as he victoriously snatched the bottle of regular Coke for himself.

He then set to peeling away the label himself…

…to scan the QR code on his phone (why are we still using action lines here?!).

Aha! He was transported to the special Coca-Cola fortune site. At this point poor Masanuki could only peer over the edge of the table to watch his good vibes fly away into Go’s aura…

The site also shared that players whose fortunes were good enough would be entered into a lottery to win New Year’s picture scroll cups and a small plate set based on the Scrolls of Frolicking Animals, or score points for instant messaging app Line.

The game loaded onto his screen with instructions to hold his smartphone steadily in front of him.

Suddenly, a picture of the drab office table came into view through his camera, along with some virtual bunnies! Each rabbit represented one theme out of nine total (today, work, health, fandom, studies, love, the New Year, new adults, and setsubun [a seasonal tradition that includes bean-throwing]), and it would tell you your fortune if you threw the carrot to it. Go decided to go with the “work” bunny.

▼ You’ve got this, bunny!

The bunny then adorably hopped up close to him and held out a red fortune with instructions for Go to tap on it.

He scored super special mega good luck!!!

Normally you can’t even get higher than “good luck,” so this was incredibly fortuitous indeed.

▼ A small note also stated that he’d begin going all out at work the day after tomorrow.

Go was so excited that he jumped up to celebrate. This kind of New Year’s luck was actually motivating enough to start working hard right away.

With all of those good vibes now in his system, Go excitedly ran out of the room, hopefully not to bother Masanuki again for the rest of the day.

At the very least, Go hadn’t stolen Masanuki’s second bottle of Coke–this one being a zero sugar version. This time no one should get in the way of his duly-earned fortune.

This time, he threw the carrot to the fandom bunny that was directly in front of him and watched it hop on up with his fortune.

Here was the moment of truth!

Masanuki also got super special mega good luck!!! His little message added that his oshi (celebrity of devotion) should gain new fans. He was actually happier with this result than with Go’s, so he supposed it had all worked out for the best.

The special fortune-telling Coca-Cola bunny bottles and related promotions will only be available through April 9. For more cute tie-ins with the Year of the Rabbit, you may also want to check out Starbucks’ line of themed goods.

Reference: Coca-Cola Japan
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[ Read in Japanese ]