Mirinda declares war in face-off with Sprite

Pepsi, in order to strengthen brand image and re-emphasise its 'Intense taste, intense fun' brand positioning for Mirinda, rolled out a new 30 million baht (US$722,813) campaign, 'Batman begins', with Motorola as its main partner. Pepsi Cola (Thai) Trading marketing director, Charlie Jitcharoongphorn, said: "The three brands share similarities in terms of cool brand image and target audience. Joining hands (for the promotion) will create great fun and an intense experience for consumers."

The company has already spent 60 million baht on Mirinda in the last five months, enabling the brand to maintain a 20 per cent market share in the flavoured soft-drink market, which is being affected as consumers switch to alternatives such as green tea, fruit juices, cereal and corn milk, etc.

Media used for the Mirinda campaign include TV, cinema, POP, billboards and railway. Promotional activities at leading points of sale such as department stores and superstores will be rolled out, together with roadshows to promote the new campaign.

The 15-second TVC, developed by BBDO Thailand, shows clips of Batman begins, highlighting redemptions, discounts and lucky draws available. The new campaign is expected to take Mirinda's share up by 10 per cent, closer to Fanta, which holds 70 per cent market share.

Coca-Cola, meanwhile, launched a new global 'Freedom from thirst' marketing campaign for Sprite. The integrated campaign kicked off with a TVC filmed and produced in Thailand. Chuenhathai Vuntanadit, marketing director, Coca-Cola Thailand, said: "Freedom from thirst is the first global Sprite TVC filmed in Thailand and represents creative advertising at its best. It was developed as the centrepiece of the latest global campaign."

Ogilvy & Mather Hong Kong created and produced the global TVC, while Lowe Thailand localised the concept and created the Sprite integrated marketing communication plan and ad materials for Thailand. Aimed at 20 to 29 year-old Thais, the 30-second TVC begins by showing a group of hot and tired boys on a basketball court. On quenching his thirst with Sprite, one of the boys wants to enter the 'Sprite world of liquid freedom' and plunges headfirst onto the concrete floor that unexpectedly turns into a swimming pool. All the others follow suit and enjoy the freedom "only Sprite can offer".