Thums Up, the homegrown beverage under The Coca-Cola Company, has announces a Toofani campaign titled ‘Soft Kya Jaane Toofan ka Swaad’ featuring actor Kichcha Sudeep. It is conceptualised by Ogilvy India as a part of OpenX from WPP.
Commenting on the campaign, Tish Condeno, Senior Category Director, Sparkling Flavours, Coca-Cola India, and South-West Asia said: “We are absolutely thrilled to have Kichcha Sudeep on board with Thums Up. This campaign marks a thrilling recreation of our iconic Toofani spirit, amplified by Kichcha’s dynamic energy. The thrilling campaign embodies Thums Up’s adventurous spirit and the bold action is symbolic of the strong taste.”
Commenting on the campaign, Sukesh Nayak, Chief Creative Officer, Ogilvy India added: “The task this year was to bring alive the strong and thrilling taste of Thums Up while maintaining the brand’s original energy. So, to bring Soft Kya Jaane Toofan Ka Swaad to life, you see Kichcha Sudeep in an all new toofani avatar that showcases Thums Up in its truest form. We have taken his dynamic and adventurous persona in a unique adrenaline filled narrative. With Kichcha Sudeep being open to the wildest of ideas, we pushed the envelope to deliver there is nothing soft about the taste of Thums Up.”
Today is Makar Sankranti, a day millions of bright kites are taking to the sky. It is also the harvest festival, with Lohri / Pongal / Bihu / Uttarayan being celebrated in different regions of India.
Every year, Ahmedabad hosts the International Kite Flying Festival. According to the chief minister of Gujarat, the kite-making industry had grown to a size of Rs 625 crore, giving employment to 1.3 lakh people of the state in 2023. The state produces 40% of India’s kites.
Production of kites and kite supplies can be seen on the streets of Ahmedabad beginning in November, to get ready for Uttarayan, and nowhere more so than in Patang Bazaar, the special kite market that appears in the old city. For the week preceding the festival, it is open 24 hours a day for all kite-lovers to stock up for the festivities.
This year, 153 kite-flyers from 55 countries, 68 national kite-flyers from 12 states, and 865 flyers from 23 cities across Gujarat participated in the festival.
According to Vinod Joshi, director of Jajam Foundation and a heritage researcher based in Jaipur, Maharaja Sawai Ram Singh, who ruled between 1835-80, brought the tradition of kite flying from the Awadh region to Jaipur. Special kites made of cloth that were called ‘Tukkal’ were made for the royals. As they flew kites from the palace terrace, it attracted the general public, later becoming a community event on Makar Sakranti. On that day, Rajasthan Tourism now organises a festival on the lakeside of Jal Mahal Palace in Jaipur in which the entire city participates in kite flying.
Kolkata’s obsession with kites apparently started way back in 1856 when the last Nawab of Awadh, Wajid Ali Shah, was exiled to the banks of Hooghly and he finally settled in Metiabruz. Apart from kites, the Nawab also brought with him his other obsessions like wrestling and poetry meets. Legend goes that tired of being beaten by rival kite-fliers, the Nawab apparently wanted his kite strings to be coated with diamond dust! Kite-flying was a passion among the “Babus” of Bengal in the early 19th century and this had prompted the growth of several kite-making units all over the city, primarily in the northern fringes of the city.
It wasn’t surprising, then, to find social media awash with kite imagery this morning.
Cadbury and Coca-Cola have gone all out with their brand colours in their posts.
The question that comes to mind is – for festivals such as Makar Sankranti, what is the outcome that marketers expect?
Unlike the Dassera and Diwali festive season, when as many as 84% of Indians increase their shopping budgets, or Karwa Chauth and Akshay Tritiya, which have been turned into shopping festivals for jewellery, fashion, homes and cars, Makar Sankranti / Lohri appear to be purely expressive festivals.
Is the purpose of these campaigns to create and strengthen interesting brand association and build relevance to culture? That might well be the case for Fevicol or Kokuyo Camlin, which are aids to craft and creativity, or Youva, a stationery brand that is all about expression, or Asian Paints – to strengthen its association with colour.
For other brands, the mere temptation for wordplay / visual puns can end up as howlers. Sample this (from last year’s campaigns):
Happy Makar Snackranti (Pillsbury)
Let your taste buds fly high (Nature’s basket)
Give wings to your dreams (McDonalds)
Don’t let inflation affect your income; invest in SIP (SBI Mutual Fund)
What stands out amongst the Sankranti campaigns is Linen Club’s campaign which pays tribute to the rich culture of Andhra Pradesh. With Sankranti being about letting go of past habits and adopting something new, it celebrates the bhogi ritual in which old belongings are ceremoniously burnt in the fire to make way for the new.
If kite-flying is about craft and creativity, what stops brands from celebrating the artisans who come up with new designs every year? If it about the competition that plays out amongst the patang baazs of Old Delhi, Varanasi and Lucknow, why not tell stories about them?
Aah, that would require creatives to leave their desks, get out into the hustle-bustle of the marketplace, interview folks and document their story. And for clients to actually fund it. Hopefully we’ll see some of that next year!
Wish you a happy Makar Sankranti / Lohri / Bihu / Pongal / Uttarayan!
Thums Up unveils the next chapter of its association with ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup through the launch of the campaign ‘Thums Up Utha, India India Macha’.
The campaign features Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and the captain Rohit Sharma in a film that is centred around – ‘making India believe in Team India’.
Commenting on the launch of the next chapter of ICC World Cup Campaign, Arnab Roy, Vice President, Marketing Coca-Cola India, and South West Asia said: “Thums Up’s partnership with the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup aims to empower fans and voice their opinions. Our collaboration with King Khan and the cricket icons of the country further cements our dedication to elevate fan engagement and showcases our unwavering support for Team India to bring the World Cup back home. We will do this through tech led, real time responses from expert panels and credible influencers that encourage everyone to keep rooting for our team.”
Added Sukesh Nayak, Chief Creative Officer, Ogilvy India: “The adversary isn’t always external; at times, it’s our own doubt, becoming our greatest adversary. To overcome this, we must summon our inner beliefs. This World Cup, Thums Up gets SRK voicing and symbolizing the inner conflict on ‘Will India win this World Cup.?’
As the ICC World Cup inches closer, Thums Up’s commitment to celebrating players resilience and creating unforgettable moments for fans remains steadfast, setting the stage for a truly Toofani World Cup.”
Schweppes beverage has unveiled a new campaign #MixItUpWithSchweppes. The campaign film has been conceptualized by Glitch and features Siddhant Chaturvedi and Manushi Chhillar as their new/official brand ambassadors.
The Coca-Cola Company’s leading premium mixer brand celebrates Schweppes as the perfect mixer to enhance experiences across moments of consumption. With a rich and sparkling legacy of over two centuries globally, Schweppes has been synonymous with elevating everyday refreshment, through its unique and refined offerings. The brand has continued to innovate and address the evolving needs of consumers across beverage consumption occasions, since 1783.
Announcing the launch of the new digital campaign, Ruchira Bhattacharya, Director, Marketing – Emerging Categories, Coca-Cola India and Southwest Asia said: “Schweppes is a leading brand in the premium mixer category and has been loved by Indians for its distinct and perfectly balanced taste The brand embodies the vibrant and enthusiastic spirit of new-age Indian consumers as they continue to experiment with new innovations. Our new campaign #MixItUpWithSchweppes aims to celebrate moments with friends. In addition, we are very happy to launch 2 new flavours – Mint Mojito and Bitter Lemon with the new campaign. These are the first 2 in a sequence of many to come.”
Added Sunetro Lahiri, Chief Creative Officer, The Glitch, Co-Chair, WPP Unite India: “From the get-go, our aim with the campaign was to capture the absolute, unparalleled joy of mingling with the right spirits. That feeling of freewheeling euphoria that accompanies good times and great camaraderie was our NorthStar while crafting every aspect, from the visuals to the art to the edit. We wanted a campaign that would make our audience crave to be part of this really fun, lively ambience, no matter where you are.”
With the ICC T20 Men’s World Cup just around the corner, Thums Up has unveiled a new ‘StumpCam’ campaign to provide audiences with exclusive access to match footage and content. Thums Up will be adopting a digital-first, multi-tech marketing approach to drive consumer engagement for the content-led campaign.
The campaign film which has been conceptualised by Ogilvy, features cricketers Jasprit Bumrah, Umran Malik, and Brett Lee. After each World Cup match, the Stump Cam video of ‘Toofani’ cricketing moments will be accessible to viewers by scanning a QR code on the Thums Up bottle.
Commenting on the new campaign, Arnab Roy, Vice President & Head-Marketing, Coca-Cola India & Southwest Asia, said: “Cricket is a shared passion which connects billions of fans across genders, generations, and cultures. We are always finding innovative ways to activate passion points like cricket and especially the ICC T20 World Cup. Thums Up’s “Stump Cam” will offer audiences the most ‘Toofani’ view of key moments of the tournament – leveraging the Stump Cam footage was a disruptive opportunity that would bring to fans a complete new way of experiencing the game. We are elated to have on board with us India’s lead bowler and star Jasprit Bumrah, who is an indispensable asset for the Indian team; Umran Malik, who is touted as the fastest bowler in the country today; and one of the legends of the game, Brett Lee. This is the first time we are doing a content-led campaign, voiced by cricketing stalwarts like Harsha Bhogle”.
Sukesh Nayak, Chief Creative Officer, Ogilvy India added: “Thums Up’s ‘Stump Cam’ is the most daring end-to-end experience idea. It’s the most Toofani, the closest possible view of the ICC T20 Men’s World Cup. And the ticket for this is the Thums Up bottle. We are proud to conceptualise and execute this end-to-end engagement idea in partnership with some incredible partners from the world of content. #WicketSeCricket campaign is an invitation for every Thums Up drinker to experience a Toofan he or she hasn’t had so far.”
Thums Up, the Coca-Cola homegrown cola brand, has unveiled a new campaign commemorating 75 years of India’s independence. The campaign #HarHaathToofan presents an ode to inspirational people whose hands have built India over the years – who are true beacons of our nation’s pride, notes a communique.
Announcing the new campaign, Tish Condeno, Senior Director, Sparkling Flavours Category, Coca-Cola India and Southwest Asia said: “As one of the iconic homegrown brands of India, Thums Up has always stood for values of strength and resilience. Thums Up’s 2021 #PalatDe Campaign, in partnership with Olympics & Paralympic Games, gained immense love and appreciation. This year, Thums Up celebrates 75 resilient years of India’s Independence, with a special #PalatDe campaign about the many hands that have been building India. We are proud to partner with multiple inspiring individuals from India who have made the country immensely proud over the years – Sourav Ganguly, Avani Lekhara, and Nikhat Zareen, among many others.”
The #HarHaathToofan film has been conceptualized by Ogilvy. Commenting on the creative insight behind the campaign, Ritu Sharda, Chief Creative Officer, Ogilvy India- North, said: “For the last 75 years, whenever the naysayers have doubted India’s potential, the hands of the nation have come forward and done a #PalatDe, turned them upside down. Thums Up is one of the nation’s most iconic brands and has the famous ‘thumbs up’ hand as its symbol. So, on this occasion of 75 yrs of Independence, we’re proud to transform this hand to the many hands that are Toofani. And it comes together beautifully in our campaign #HarHaathToofan.”
Coca-Cola India has unveiled a new campaign ‘Thand Rakh’ for its lemon and lime-flavored beverage – Sprite.
Commenting on the new campaign, Tish Condeno, Senior Director, Sparkling Flavours Category, Coca-Cola INSWA, said: “Sprite has always been known for refreshing consumer’s mind and body. Now that summer is here, we want to offer a cold Sprite to chill everyone down from the intense summer heat and the everyday heated moments of stress and pressure. ‘Thand Rakh’ urges our audience to grab India’s ultimate refreshing beverage ‘Sprite’ and stay calm as they battle the summer heat and the numerous challenges of the ‘new normal’. Our brands have always sought to add value across various consumption occasions and this summer, Sprite is ready to keep India chill and cool!”
Added Sukesh Nayak, Chief Creative Officer, Ogilvy India: “Sprite has always been the refreshment of choice for the smart ones. And the smart ones definitely know that when stuck in a heated situation, it’s best to just ‘Thand Rakh’ and get things done, your way without losing your cool. The new positioning, inspired by our lingo, will truly connect and help keep things cool in an overheated world.”
Coke has launced an advertising campaign for its Coca-Cola Zero Sugar The marketing campaign features actor Kriti Sanon.
Commenting on the launch in India, Shrey Vig, Brand Manager, Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, Coca-Cola India and South-West Asia, said: “At Coca-Cola, we strive to provide choices to consumers across the portfolio and as part of that we are excited to launch our latest offering – new Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, which allows consumers to enjoy the great taste of Coca-Cola with zero calories. It’s been launched globally and we’re getting great response from around the world, so we’re thrilled to introduce it in India.”
To all those who thought that dimple-cheeked Shah Rukh Khan Thums Up can never really be looked as an action hero, Thums Up (and agency Ogilvy) have got the actor perform stunts on the top of a train. And more.
Commenting on the new campaign Sumeli Chatterjee, Head – Integrated Marketing Experiences (IMX), Coca-Cola India & Southwest Asia said: “Thums Up is a 45-year young brand that has always inspired millions to stay committed to their dreams. When we launched #PalatDe last year, the upside-down bottle of Thums Up became symbolic of the #PalatDe spirit – turning down every naysayer who cast a doubt on your ability. Building on this platform, we are thrilled to team up with Mr. Shah Rukh Khan to tell the story of the #ThumsUpStrong spirit. The strong unique taste of the brand is naturally weaved into strength as an emotion, that urges the drinkers to stay strong and believe in their dreams.”
Btw, Salman Khan endorses Pepsi. The Khans aren’t foes, but the colas don’t have any love for each other.
Diljit Dosanjh, Coca-Cola India brand ambassador, has unveiled the company’s new campaign “Coke Tables” in Punjab. The campaign will go live on TV channels in Punjab and will also have a digital leg.
Commenting on the new campaign, Kaushik Prasad, Director Marketing- Coca-Cola said: “Coke goes really well with food and as a brand, we strive to inspire human connections and togetherness and this campaign does just that – it is a call for people to come together and to share a Coke and a meal! At Coca-Cola, we truly believe anywhere you have food & Coke is a chance to get together to create real magic. And we are ecstatic to have India’s most beloved pop-star Diljit Dosanjh kick-start this campaign in Punjab.”
Thums Up has launched a new campaign ‘Toofan’ with Jasprit Bumrah by leveraging the brand’s distinct association with its strong taste and experience. Its latest Toofan campaign is aimed at inspiring audiences to reach their ‘PalatDe’ moments.
Said Tish Condeno, Senior Category Director Sparkling Flavours , Coca-Cola India and Southwest Asia: “Thums Up has always been a loved beverage by our consumers for its strong taste and experience, which has been the core differentiator in the category. In continuity with our partnership with the Toofan of our Indian Cricket Team – Jasprit Bumrah who is known for his pace, strength and resilient attitude on the field , this new campaign offers a strong execution idea – ‘Soft Drink nahi, Toofan’,
Commenting on the campaign, Sukesh Nayak, Chief Creative Officer, Ogilvy India added: “The big idea to land strong drink for me is the repositioning of the commonly used word ‘soft drink’. An iconic brand like Thums Up which stands for the ‘never give up attitude’ deserved a separate word to be called out as, hence, ‘soft drink nahi toofan’. From the day we thought of this idea, we all knew that this can be huge and we were thrilled to see all our partners react with same excitement when they heard about the core thought. A big shout out to my team and Bob, who have truly brought this idea to life with an execution that is bold and powerful. This is a big idea and Jasprit is the first part of it, so watch out for some more toofani action coming soon.”
After celebrating the ‘Toofani’ spirit with #PalatDe and #TaanePalatDe campaigns at the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympic Games 2020, Thums Up has fast bowler Mohammad Siraj starring in it s#PalatDe campaign.
Announcing the partnership, Arnab Roy, Vice President and Head-Marketing, Coca-Cola India and South West Asia said: “The Coca-Cola Company has been the longest corporate partner of the Olympic Games and our recent associations with the Paralympic Games and the ICC World Cup, underscore the company’s philosophy of endeavouring to be a part of the joyous moments and occasions of its consumers. The ability of Cricket to create unique and memorable moments makes it a robust platform for us to connect with sports fans around the globe. We are elated to welcome Mohammed Siraj, one of the best bowlers in the world on this exciting journey with us. It is inspiring to witness how extraordinary people like Siraj have overcome real life challenges and risen to become a beacon of national pride. Such inspirational stories resonate with the spirit of the brand.”
Added Sukesh Nayak, Chief Creative Officer, Ogilvy India: “The spirit of the brand resonates with the stories of grit, hard work and determination of our players, who overcome all hurdles to play for the country. After Olympics and Paralympics, in the third instalment of the #PalatDe campaign, we will be celebrating the victories of our cricketing heroes over their naysayers. Siraj’s story in particular is very inspiring and we are proud to partner with him and have him share his story with the world.”
Today is Makar Sankranti, a day millions of bright kites are taking to the sky. It is also the harvest festival, with Lohri / Pongal / Bihu / Uttarayan being celebrated in different regions of India.
Coke has launced an advertising campaign for its Coca-Cola Zero Sugar The marketing campaign features actor Kriti Sanon.
Diljit Dosanjh, Coca-Cola India brand ambassador, has unveiled the company’s new campaign “Coke Tables” in Punjab. The campaign will go live on TV channels in Punjab and will also have a digital leg.
Thums Up has launched a new campaign ‘Toofan’ with Jasprit Bumrah by leveraging the brand’s distinct association with its strong taste and experience. Its latest Toofan campaign is aimed at inspiring audiences to reach their ‘PalatDe’ moments.