Haagen-Dazs Pleased to Have Virtual Reality Experience “The Extraordinary Honey Bee” Selected for HTC Vive’s VR for Impact Program
Haagen-Dazs was one of three awardees as HTC Vive marks Earth Day by unveiling the first grant recipients from its $10 million program targeting United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
San Francisco, CA., April 26, 2017 /3BL Media/ - From 1,400 submissions, “The Extraordinary Honey Bee” has been selected as one of the first three grant recipients for HTC Vive’s VR for Impact program. VR for Impact is a program that HTC Vive created to invest $10 million on VR projects that ladder up to the UN’s sustainability goals.
The Häagen-Dazs® brand’s VR film “The Extraordinary Honey Bee,” takes you on a journey to learn about the impact bees have on our world, their plight, and how we can make a change to save them. Through cutting-edge VR technology and equipment, we are able to tell a more personal story for viewers to inspire sustainable change. By leveraging VR’s innate ability to create empathy in its audience, the goal is to educate people about the honey bees’ plight and teach them how they can be part of the solution.
Orchid Bertelsen, Nestlé USA Digital Innovation Lead highlighted that Nestlé “believes in the transformative and educational power of VR and are excited to use this technology to bring the plight of the honey bee to life. We are thrilled to partner with HTC, not only because of their innovative technology and valuable audience, but because of their ideals and shared belief of harnessing the power of VR to drive true impact."
The VR footage was shot in Chowchilla, CA at the orchard where the Häagen-Dazs® brand sources all of its almonds. In partnership with the Xerces Society, Häagen-Dazs® worked hand-in-hand with the farmer supplier to install bee-friendly habitat covering 840 acres of farmland -- the largest, privately funded pollinator habitat in the US. The newly planted habitat consists of six and a half miles of hedgerow and 11,000 native drought-tolerant shrubs and flowering plants.
The film is part of Häagen-Dazs® Loves Honey Bees program, which was created in 2008 with a goal of supporting bee conservation through investments in research, improvement in sustainability via supply chain, and advocacy through lobbying and content. Currently the program is working to impact industrial and community farming habits to conserve and promote bees who pollinate ⅓ of the world’s food crops and require biodiverse ecosystems to survive. Film marketing kicked off in January at the Sundance Film Festival with the film announcement and release of a teaser trailer. The film and campaign will also be promoted during Free Cone Day on May 9, 2017 where ice cream lovers are invited to visit participating Häagen-Dazs® shops in the United States to receive one free scoop, including bee dependent ice cream flavors. In return, the brand is asking guests to pay it forward by planting wildflowers native to their region to help keep bees buzzing.
"One-third of the world's crops depend on pollinators such as honey bees, as do one third of Häagen-Dazs' ice cream flavors,” explained Kerry McLaughlin, Häagen-Dazs® Brand Content and Strategy Lead. “Bees are being threatened on a variety of fronts and as a brand, we recognize the important role we must play to promote sustainable farming practices and ensure pollinators continue to enrich the planet.”
The “Extraordinary Honey Bee” film releases July 2017 on Viveport, HTC’s app store for virtual reality and across brand social channels in support of larger honey bee campaign efforts.
About Häagen-Dazs®Häagen-Dazs® was founded by Reuben Mattus in 1960 on a passion for transforming simple flavors and the finest ingredients possible into an extraordinary ice cream experience. True to tradition, the original super-premium brand is committed to using only the finest ingredients in crafting the world's finest ice cream. Today, the Häagen-Dazs® brand offers ice cream and sorbet in more than 65 flavors available around the globe. For more information, please visit www.haagendazs.us. You can also check out the latest updates at facebook.com/HaagenDazsUS, on Instagram or Twitter (@HaagenDazs_US). HÄAGEN-DAZS® is used under license. ©HDIP, Inc.
Media Contact:
Edie Burge
Nestlé in the United States
818-551-3284
Edie.Burge@us.nestle.com
