Soda Makers Begin Their Push Against New York Ban

A newly created New Yorkers for Beverage Choices have began their campaign to halt New York City's proposed restrictions on large servings of sugary drinks.

Canvassers hired by the beverage industry are stopping their fellow New Yorkers on the street to sign petitions, and to Facebook and tweet their followers "say no to a #sodaban."

The New Yorkers for Beverage Choices are urging that the real issue is freedom, not fatness. In their first radio spot out this week the ad starts "This is New York City; no one tells us what neighborhood to live in or what team to root for, so are we going to let our mayor tell us what size beverage to buy? It's unbelievable!"

The soda industry faces a tough battle as more and more elected officials are citing sugary beverages as a key component to the obesity epidemic in the United States. Plus, with federal funding, like the $2.8 million campaign that already blankets New York on the health risks of consuming sugary beverages, the battle will only get harder.  

Soda executives are vague about their long-term strategy plan, but they are staying focused for now on recruiting local businesses, unions, and lawmakers to join their cause, but currently the City Council wishes not to get involved.  While the American Beverage Association has said that "it's important, regardless of the endgame here, to make sure people understand the impact of this thing, to let them know how will impact their daily lives."

In the end - regardless of outcome of the proposed soda ban in New York City, this is definitely not the end of discussion. This issue will most likely trickle through major cities, most recently the issue has come up in Boston and Los Angeles.

New Yorkers collecting petition signatures in Brooklyn for New Yorkers for Beverage Choice, a grassroots-style coalition created by the beverage industry.

Read full New York Times Article Here

Spite "Camo"

Name of Company/Competitor: Sprite

Name of Campaign/Spot:  Camo

Date Launched: 7/5/12
Description: Sprite wants you to stand out and spark your true self! Check out the new Sprite film, Camo.

Media Details: TV

Here is a behind the scenes look at the making of the shoot. 

Coke Zero and CP&B Part Ways After 7 Years

Coca-Cola is ending its longtime relationship with MDC Partners-owned shop CP&B on Coke Zero, Ad Age has learned.

"After an extremely successful seven-year partnership, Coke Zero and CP&B have decided to part ways. We are all very proud of the results we have achieved together and will continue to partner on the Vitaminwater account, as well as other potential projects going forward," the two companies said in a joint statement.

It's a surprising split given the length of the relationship and the fact that the work over the years really helped to establish Coke Zero as a lower-calorie alternative to regular Coke that does not skimp on the taste.

CP&B's work has been ambitious, and at times funny. It included a Super Bowl promotion that tried to make the Monday after the big game a national holiday called "Magnificent Monday," complete with a video to promote the new holiday and a hashtag to promote it, #magmonday; a tie-in with the movie "Battleship" with spots directed by the movie's director Peter Berg, and probably the best-known work, the "Lawyers" spot. To convince a sea of skeptics that a drink with zero calories could actually taste like regular Coke, CP&B hired actors to pose as Coke brand managers to ask real Coke attorneys to file a lawsuit against Coke Zero for stealing Coke's taste.

Marketing spending on the Coke Zero brand has surpassed that of Diet Coke; according to Kantar, Coca-Cola devoted about $35 million in U.S. measured media spending to Coke Zero in 2011, compared to $23 million for Diet Coke. Spending for brand Coca-Cola and Coca-Cola Classic still get the largest chunks of Coke's spending, about $100 million and $55 million respectively.

It's not the first time Coca-Cola has made changes to its North American agency roster this year. In April it moved duties for Sprite to Leo Burnett from Bartle Bogle Hegarty. The beverage giant has publicly said it's doubling down on marketing and advertising. CEO Muhtar Kent in early 2012 said Coca-Cola plans to cut $550 million to $650 million in annual costs by the end of 2015, and promised that much of that money will be reinvested in marketing and brand building.

It's unclear if another agency is waiting in the wings to get North American duties for Coke Zero, but in recent times, WPP's Ogilvy, Paris, has been doing more work for the brand, especially with its "Step from Zero" film that got a lot of pass-around.

The film follows the journey of a young dancer who turns his frustrations against his parents into the inspiration for a new dance move, the Toe Tappy, which goes viral and eventually makes him famous. The Toe Tappy was chosen through Coke's "Make It Possible" project, which used a website to invite choreographers to submit videos of their dance moves. The side-by-side foot-shuffling move won, and the casting was also done through an open call for submissions.

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London Olympics 2012: Coca-Cola & McDonalds Ban Called For By London Assemby

As McDonald's readies to open its biggest location in the world as part of its sponsorship of the Olympics, the chain's opponents are also ramping up their efforts to ban it and soda mega-corporation Coca-Cola from the games.

With just a month before competitions get underway, the London Assembly has voted to call for a ban on the two sponsors. The Olympics, an event that showcases the world's best athletic talent, should not be bankrolled by companies that produce high-calorie food and drinks that may contribute to obesity, believes the Assembly.

The London Assembly, established in 2000, is an elected body that monitors the activities of the Mayor of London and has the power to amend the mayor's annual budget.

The move urges the International Olympic Committee to adopt strict criteria for sponsorship of the Games, which would exclude companies like McDonald's and Coca-Cola.

But, the issue isn't black and white. Coca-Cola is the games' longest-running sponsor, since 1928, and McDonald's has been one since 1976. Over time, the companies have developed a mutually beneficially relationship.

TIME has the details:

"But despite the criticism of their presence, without companies like Coca-Cola and McDonald’s, the Olympics would be under serious financial threat, a fact that organizers are happy to admit. Cash generated by commercial partnerships accounts for more than 40% of Olympic revenues, and the companies under fire have been two of the biggest contributors for many years."

The two companies' sponsorships have been blasted by UK doctors, who say they send the wrong message in a country struggling with obesity rates.

McDonald's UK's chief executive, Jill McDonald, defended her company's offerings to the AP in May. "We do offer a breadth of menu," she said. "You can see on the menu here we have grilled chicken wraps, we have salads, fruit smoothies as well as the more indulgent recipes that people know and love."

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Coca-Cola "Crabs and Penguins" Animation and Free Game

Name of Company/Competitor: Coca-Cola

Name of Campaign/Spot:  Crabs and Penguins

Date Launched: 6/27/12
Description: This game chronicles the amazing ocean adventure of a crab that hopes to return a lost soccer ball to a community of arctic penguins. Crabs and Penguins is a state of the art mobile application designed for players 13 years of age and older. This action adventure game uses cinematic and gameplay elements featuring impeccably rendered 3D graphics that put players in the role of a brave 'Hero Crab'. Brought to you by The Coca-Cola Content Factory in partnership with Emberlab. Music by Jeff Rona.

Media Details: Online, Multimedia

Pepsi featuring Nicki Minaj

Name of Company/Competitor: Pepsi
Name of Campaign/Spot:  Now In a Moment

Date Launched: 5/6/12
Description: Imagine all that's happening right NOW around the world. Then imagine if you could experience it all at once. Pepsi and Nicki Minaj invite everyone to LIVE FOR NOW.
Media Details: TV

Trop50 Juice with Tea

Name of Company/Competitor: Trop50
Name of Campaign/Spot:  Trop50 Juice with Tea

Date Launched: 5/3/12
Description: Jane Krakowski and Gilles Marini, who played Luc Laurent on "Brothers & Sisters" and finished second on season 8 of "Dancing With the Stars," engage in a seductive dance but Krakowski reveals that her true desire is for something exotic and refreshingly different. Like Trop50 Juice with Tea, which offers fruit juice goodness with 50 percent fewer calories, now with tea!
Media Details: TV

Chicago Bears strike deal with Dr Pepper!

(Crain's) — The Chicago Bears have signed an exclusive sponsorship deal with Dr Pepper Snapple Group, ending a longtime relationship with Coca-Cola Co. at Soldier Field.

The seven-year deal, which sources say is worth $3 million annually, will make RC Cola, 7UP and Dr Pepper among the primary brands served at Bears games and give the Plano, Texas-based distributor lone beverage branding rights with the team.

As a part of the agreement, which will make Dr Pepper one of the team's nine top-tier "Hall of Fame" corporate sponsors, the Bears plan to open a new "Dr Pepper Patio" this season in the south stands of Soldier Field. The new area will include live entertainment, new food and beverage options and a lounge area among other amenities.

"We were very attracted to (Dr Pepper's) marketing acumen," said Chris Hibbs, the Bears' vice president of sales and marketing.

Mr. Hibbs said the team had no intention of leaving Coca-Cola after its most recent contract with the beverage giant ended in February, but Dr Pepper's strong demographic impact in Chicago made it a good fit.

"They really wanted this partnership, and they're going to activate around it. They're going to integrate the Bears with everything they do," said Mr. Hibbs. "You don't see every sports marketer doing it that way."

The deal, which will be announced on Tuesday, will also extend beyond Soldier Field. The soda company also will own sponsorship of the Bears' training camp program in Bourbonnais, where the brand "aligned well demographically" with those who attend each year, Mr. Hibbs said.

It also marks the first exclusive beverage deal with an NFL team for Dr Pepper, which is better known for its collegiate sports sponsorships.

The company has been the official sponsor of the NCAA Football Coaches' Trophy as well as ESPN college football programming, while its only other NFL sponsorship deal is with the Dallas Cowboys, which it shares with Pepsi.

"It's a great opportunity for us to put our brands in front of the huge audience that follows the Bears, both in the stadium and beyond Soldier Field," said Chris Barnes, corporate affairs manager at Dr Pepper Snapple Group.

Mr. Barnes said detailed advertising plans are still in the works.

The Bears are one of only a handful of NFL teams that miss out on potential revenue from naming rights to its stadium, forcing the team to find new ways to generate more non-football revenue through various sponsorship deals.

Soldier Field is owned and managed by the Chicago Park District, but the franchise owns the marketing rights and other revenue opportunities, including suites, ticket sales and advertising in and around the building.

Other Dr Pepper products include A&W Root Beer, Sunkist, Canada Dry, Deja Blue bottled water and Mott's apple juice.

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Mt Dew Does National TV as It Hunts for Upside in Key Regions

Mtn Dew is amping up national TV buys, which could help it boost sales in underdeveloped markets around the country.

The soda brand, better known lately for crowdsourcing efforts -- dubbed "Dewmocracy" -- is nearly doubling its TV spend with the launch of the campaign and tagline "This is how we Dew."
"Folks are familiar with Dew, but may not have thought about it in a while," said Brett O'Brien, VP-marketing for Mtn Dew and flavored carbonated drinks.

The soda has been one of the best-performing carbonated-soft-drink brands, ranking fourth behind Coke, Diet Coke and Pepsi, according to Beverage Digest. But sales in certain parts of the country are much weaker than the national average, making national TV buys an intriguing move. Mtn Dew has a 5.2% supermarket share nationally, according to Beverage Digest. But in New York, the country's largest market, its share is just 2.6%. In Miami, the brand has a 1.9% share; in Boston, 2.5%.

"If they could take some key markets, mainly in the East, and bring the share up even a bit closer to the national average, they could get some nice performance from the brand," said John Sicher, editor and publisher of Beverage Digest. "But that could take years to do." Last year, Mtn Dew spent $19.5 million on TV, according to Kantar Media. Doubling that will put the brand at spending levels not seen since 2007.

With the increased budget, Mtn Dew will be rethinking its media mix. A year ago, 23% of the TV budget was allocated to national buys, but that is growing to 40%. Fox will be the main beneficiary, with the brand planning to buy shows such as "The Simpsons" and "Bob's Burgers." Cable buys include ESPN and FX. OMD handles media buying.

At the Beverage Digest Future Smarts conference in December, CEO-PepsiCo Americas Beverages Al Carey said he believes it's possible to grow brands within the beleaguered carbonated-soft-drink category, citing Mtn Dew and Diet Mtn Dew.

The launch spot for the campaign features pro skaters and snowboarders, as well as race-car driver Dale Earnhardt Jr., country singer Jason Aldean and rapper Lil Wayne. It's the type of work not seen from Mtn Dew in several years.

Hug Me: Coca-Cola Introduces Gesture Based Marketing in Singapore

How do you translate Coca-Cola into Singaporean English? How about, “Hug Me”? That’s the premise of a new marketing campaign that Coke has launched in Singapore. But what makes this newsworthy, at least for me, is that the message is being sealed with a gesture.

A Coke vending machine was installed overnight at the National University of Singapore. It looks like a fairly ordinary machine, in the brand’s iconic red and white. But instead of it’s logo, this machine says “Hug Me,” in the logo font. The marketer is using the license afforded by the infamous spoof logo t-shirts to spoof themselves. And instead of money, this machine responds only to the currency of hugs. Specifically, you have to squeeze the sides of the soda dispenser in a specific way to make a free Coke come out.

In a world where Facebook likes and photo comments are considered “social gestures,” manipulating consumers to make specific gestures is top-of-mind for marketers today. This campaign, created by Ogilvy & Mather, is an incredibly overt version of this trope.

Positioning this stunt at a university is a smart move in Singapore, where public signs of affection have long been discouraged, but are on the rise among the young. Coke is positioning itself as a non-threatening ally to affection demonstrating youth.

This is an example where the value to pain ratio is astronomically high. People would do a lot more for a Coke than give a hug, along the lines of the old cigarette slogan, “I’d walk a mile for a Camel.” But the payoff is high for Coke as well, since things experienced through multi-modal learning are more memorable than visual and/or auditory stimulation alone.

In a statement as part of the company’s ‘Open Happiness’ campaign, Leonardo O’Grady, ASEAN IMC Director, The Coca Cola Company, explained that: “Happiness is contagious. The Coca Cola Hug Machine is a simple idea to spread some happiness. Our strategy is to deliver doses of happiness in an unexpected, innovative way to engage not only the people present, but the audience at large.” In other words, they hope it goes viral throughout Asia leading to outbreaks of random hugging, all with the Coca-Cola brand in mind.