10th article published in HANS INDIA - "New Products from the Cola giants that failed to make a cut"

10th article published in HANS INDIA today (19th July 2014). It is an article about "New Products from the Cola giants that failed to make a cut". Incidentally the photograph next to my article features Prof P. Narayana Reddy (wearing tie). Prof P.Narayana Reddy was my first HOD in academics and he is my PhD guide, guru and mentor. It is a honour sharing media space with him. I am delighted.

Second Time lucky for Pepsi ? - Pepsi Atom Introduction after the Pepsi Maxx disaster

 

Pepsi did it again. On Thursday 25^th April 2013, Pepsi India introduced its second brand of Cola – Atom. Pepsi wants to cash in on the summer rush and also add weight to its product sales by piggybacking on the hype and popularity of the IPL cricket tournament. It believes it has a winner in hand – and its name Pepsi Atom.

Pepsi Atom will be available across the country in various packages including a 250 ml can at an introductory price of Rs 15 and a 500 ml PET bottle at Rs 25 and a  200 ml returnable glass bottles (RGB) which will be available in select markets at Rs 10.

Pepsi is sitting pretty in India. It outsells Coca-Cola but still Coca Cola sells better than Pepsi overall in the cola market as it has strong winners from the through bred winners that it bought over  from the competition.  These are the brands that Cola-Cola bought from Ramesh Chauhan of the Parle group – especially Thums Up. Thums Up is a out right winner. It outsells both Coke and Pepsi in India.

Pepsi must be kicking itself for not considering buying Thums up before Coca-Cola. They had all the chances. Pepsi moved into India the second time in 1989, four years before Coke. But the top guys at Pepsi must have felt that Thums up would pose a challenge to Pepsi itself. Whatever it was it proved to be a decisive mistake. Pepsi along with Thums Up would have sounded the death knell for Coca-Cola in India.

But that is all water under the bridge. Pepsi wants to counter Coca-Cola in all segments. It brought in Pepsi Maxx a zero calorie drink in August 2010 to counter Diet Coke and failed miserably. Now Peso is firing the next salvo.

Atom will be launched with a campaign and a tagline: “Piyo Josh Mein Jiyo Hosh Mein” and its endorser will be Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput.

Pepsi is hedging Atom against Coca-Cola’s Thums up.  It is being positioned as a stronger, fizzier cola with a sharp taste. It is going to be a all-out war. The knives are out, already. Check out the words of Deepika Warrior, VP-President (beverage marketing) “the brand positioning redefines masculinity and portrays the modern Indian in a new light”

She goes on to say "The atom  campaign would be more relevant and projects relatable definition of masculinity as opposed to much hyped mindless action”

No prizes for guessing whom she meant by “much hyped mindless action (Thums Up!)”. Watch this space in the coming days for more action.

Innovative Tablet advertisements - Pepsi MAX and Bradesco's fake car advertisement

Tablets are becoming popular and many advertisers are creating campaigns exclusively for this media. A pick of the best Tablet advertisements.

 

Pepsi MAX made one of the most interactive iPad ads ever.

When Pepsi MAX decided to make an iPad ad (with TBWA/Chiat/Day and OMD), it decided to maximize every single iPad functionality. "There doesn't even have to be a reason for it!" the soda company boasted.

With a touch of the banner, consumers were launched into a completely interactive experience.

It started with a humorous video that introduced Pepsi MAX (with sweeping shots of the bottle). Consumers were then launched into a world of random activities.

Users could swipe the screen to play Spin the Bottle; shake the tablet to make the bottle explode; zoom-in to be transported to a unique "cola universe" with pugs, Snoop Lion, and "pegacorns." If the reader zoomed deep enough he went back in time to witness the big bang. Users who put their palm on the iPad got a personalized fortune.

Bradesco's fake car advertisement

While many car companies have made compelling tablet advertisements, one of the best campaigns was actually a fake car advertisement.

 

Bradesco, a car insurance provider, put ads in iPad magazine apps that looked like a traditional spread for a luxury car brand. The catch came when people swiped their finger across the screen to turn the page, causing the car to crash. The tagline for the Cannes Lion-winning spot. "Unexpected events happen without warning. Make a Bradesco car insurance plan."

The ad was created by Allmap BBDO, Sao Paulo.

 

Read the entire list at: http://www.businessinsider.com/10-most-innovative-tablet-campaigns-ever-2012-11?op=1