Two thousand people participated in the “Happiness Campaign” of Coca-Cola online. They found the happiest pose, photo-bombed was that of a couple smiling beside a squirrel. In the finding, they learnt that 71 % of the people liked the photo of the squirrel for different reasons. The first reaction to the snap was that people smile on finding the nice surprise.
Psychologist, Dr. Simon Moor of U.K, says that in this snap, the squirrel was the unexpected guest. The people liked and enjoyed the unexpected most. It was the accidental nice surprise that gave more joy than hoped. Dr. Moor says, it is inbuilt in the nature of humans that they love and get attracted and impressed by surprises. Such nature has deep rooted feelings that express their emotions. The picture of the squirrel with the couple depicts the same. The squirrel photo has the element that demonstrates the deep feelings. Thus, it became the happiest of all photo in that event.
Photograph source: Dainik Bhaskar.
The husband had set the timer and at the last moment when the clicking commenced, the squirrel appeared. The squirrel was perhaps taken aback on hearing the timer clicking and raised the head inquisitively. The photograph had a tough competition with other shots that gave an instant response. The photographs included were as diverse as the scenic landscape, totally incredible human acrobats, lovely toddlers and kids, cats, dogs including the funniest and world’s happiest animal the quokka.
The contest clearly brings out the finest side of the human nature. We get inspired by small things, the day to day happenings, which make you smile. It could be the kids trying to express their reaction to the new world they come in. Their smiles and lovely glances are the source of joy to the onlookers and the family alike.
“The findings suggest that it’s often small things – like a cute animal or unexpected photo-bomb – that make us feel happy, ” said Bobby Brittain, Marketing Director, Coca-Cola Great Britain. “Our Choose Happiness campaign is all about inspiring people to appreciate the little things that raise a smile. That’s why we’re encouraging people to capture whatever makes them happy this summer and giving away up to one million selfie sticks.” Via
Coca-Cola worked with renowned picture agency Getty Images on the research. Asked to click on photographs that made them smile. People were found to be more likely to smile at an image of a cat than a dog while images featuring babies made fewer people smile than those featuring animals.
The couple had sent the photo for the contest; it became popular right then. They said that the squirrel would become a part of their pose was most unexpected.
