PepsiCo awards Mirinda's social media duties to Red Digital

The agency's immediate mandate is to create buzz on social media around Mirinda's recently launched Breathless campaign; this is the first time that the orange flavoured soft drink is using the digital medium through the social media route.

PepsiCo India has awarded the social media mandate of its popular orange soft drink, Mirinda to Mumbai-based agency, Red Digital. The business was won after a multi-agency pitch that was called by the company. This is the first time Mirinda has chosen the social media route in the digital medium.

Red Digital will exploit platforms such as Facebook and Twitter, along with other applications and new technology to help connect the online and offline activities of the brand. The agency will play a key role in creating online buzz about the brand's new offerings and launch various campaigns to build engagement across social networks.

Commenting on the development, Harsh Jain, founder and managing director, Red Digital, says, "Social media provides seamless opportunities to build interest groups. Digital is no longer just about showing banners and clicking on them. It now generates engagement and activation, and creates convergence between the online and offline media. We look forward to creating path-breaking innovations in new media in the near future. The new activities for Mirinda emphasise our continued focus on digital innovation aimed to bring value to our clients."

Yashraj Vakil, chief operating officer, Red Digital tells afaqs! that the agency looks at pitching in a different way, which helps it find favour.

"Our style is holistic. We pitch as an integrated agency. All the work is an integration of media under the aegis of social media - where the internet population is," he says.

The agency's immediate mandate is to create an impact for Mirinda's latest Breathless campaign, through which the brand has launched two new flavours - Mirinda Orange Masala and Mirinda Orange Mango.

Red Digital will help to bring the experience of the campaign to Facebook and on-ground. Through Facebook applications, the agency plans to further bring alive the campaign pushing the new flavours. It also plans an augmented reality iPhone and Android application. Mirinda will also have extensive presence on Twitter during the campaign.

Vakil says that after the campaign is through, further plans for the year will be drawn.

On the association, Ruchira Jaitly, executive vice-president, marketing, beverages (flavours), PepsiCo India, says, "Social media has become a very important tool to engage consumers and have a dialogue with them on a constant basis. Red Digital's prior experience in handling leading brands, coupled with a deep understanding of consumer behaviour in the digital space will definitely ensure that there is a high level of engagement and traction for Mirinda's campaign on the new flavours."