Developed by TBWA\ Shanghai, the creative work encompasses TV, print, outdoor, POS and revamped packaging. The campaign began its rollout in early March and is expected to run for at least a month. This drive marks the first campaign since TBWA nabbed the business late last year.
“We want Tong Yi to become an iconic brand,” said Ruth Ang, managing director, TBWA\China.
Tong Yi is the leading player in the category, but is now fighting off both direct and indirect competition.
The direct threat comes from Coca-Cola’s Minute Maid. While Western consumers expect juice to contain close to 100 per cent fruit juice, juice in China typically contains 10 to 30 per cent, making ‘juice drinks’ thirst-quenchers primarily. The pulp in Minute Maid has helped persuade Chinese consumers of the ‘naturalness’ of its product.
Indirectly, meanwhile, the brand faces off against staples such as tea and water. Though Tong Yi has managed to maintain a leadership position in the market, Coca-Cola’s research and distribution juggernaut, combined with Minute Maid’s positive product perception, has forced the brand to rethink its marketing proposition.
In line with increased household spending on the mainland, juice drinks have shown healthy growth over the last few years, doubling in the last five years and reaching a total market share of Rmb 47 billion (US$6 billion) in 2006.
“Tong Yi needs to position itself as a thought leader, so we changed the focus from product-driven to emotion-driven; trailblazing in the Chinese juice landscape,” said Ang.
The new campaign capitalises on the optimism and energy of today’s China, featuring the slogan ‘Live it out beautifully’ to try and capture how the brand identity ties in with these characteristics. The new line succeds the earlier, product-driven slogan, ‘More vitamin C, more pretty’.
The copy-driven creative work plays on ideas of breaking free and people enjoying everyday opportunities, while the bright colouring hopes to evoke the fruit and health elements of Tong Yi. “A casual health drink is something that you hang out with, you hold it in your hand, you have a direct connection with it,” said Ang. “It makes sense to shift the marketing to an emotional basis - and we’re the first to make that shift here.”
