McCann Erickson Jakarta has lined up in a pitch against McCann Middle East, while the soft drinks giant has also called a review of its media planning and buying arrangements in Thailand. The review will cover all Coca-Cola brands, including Coke Light, Coke Classic and non-carbonated products. Incumbent Initiative, Universal McCann and a number of other undisclosed agencies are contesting the business.
Meanwhile, the company is pre-testing a pan-Asian campaign for its Coke ‘no sugar’ products. There is some confusion over the difference between Coke’s no-sugar products. While Coke Zero targets men, Coke Light is itself trying to become more men-friendly and eschew a reputation for being the drink of choice for dieting women.
The regional no-calorie Coke business was split between McCann Worldgroup Philippines and Leo Burnett earlier this month (Media, 2 May).
McCann retained the above-the-line thematic account, while Leo Burnett/Arc was handed below-the-line duties.
Ogilvy, which handles Coke Light in Hong Kong and Diet Coke in Sydney, claimed that it declined to pitch.