Pepsi Max: Maximising outdoor impact

Maximising the visibility for the newly launched no-sugar cola, PepsiCo has launched a campaign with larger than life cut outs of the bottle standing tall across the Capital

Global food, snack and beverage company PepsiCo recently launched its sugar free cola, Pepsi Max. Avoiding the big-bang launch for a niche product, the company has planned to launch the product in phased manner, starting from Delhi and NCR.

To introduce Pepsi Max, the latest addition to the Rs 10,000 crore branded beverage market in India, PepsiCo has used outdoor as an eye-catching reminder to drive buzz around the product. The 'innovation only' campaign is executed by OOH agency Portland and creative agency JWT.

The 45 day long outdoor campaign was rolled out on August 7 with a view to create visibility for Pepsi Max through impactful outdoor innovations at strategic locations in Delhi and NCR.

"With the launch of Pepsi Max, disruption assumes a whole new meaning. The outdoor plan is an 'innovations only' one with its cool, edgy look and the iconic Max bottle at its core. The campaign and the brand look oozes attitude," says Sandeep Singh Arora, executive vice-president, marketing, colas, PepsiCo India.

With outdoor comprising a vital component of the marketing mix, consumers will be greeted by a larger than life outdoor campaign comprising of building wraps, huge Pepsi Max bottles and other spectaculars. This iconic visual is used in a variety of formats such as unipoles, billboards, specially shaped pole kiosks, 3D mega bottle units and drop downs strategically placed in high traffic zones, markets, malls and other youth catchment areas.

These structures can be found across the NCR, including Defence Colony, Nelson Mandela Marg, Panchsheel Marg, ITO, Nathupur and popular malls such as Select Citywalk, Ambience Mall, DT Mall and others. The agency has also created a larger than life Pepsi Max display unit at the Delhi airport.

"Pepsi Max outdoor campaign has been executed innovatively keeping in mind the brand positioning of Pepsi Max with 'disruption' and 'attitude' remaining central to the campaign," says Madhuri Sapru, managing partner, South Asia, Kinetic & Dialect.

Positioned as the cola with more strength, fizz, punch and no sugar, Pepsi Max is designed for health conscious consumers in the age group of 25-35 years.

"The Pepsi Max drinker is the guy who works hard and plays harder - who believes in getting more out of every moment. He is confident, intense, gutsy, street smart, a full-on kind of a guy who revels in his laugh-out-loud experiences with his mates," Arora says.

In addition to the in-store activation, the company plans to carry out experiential sampling with exclusive mobile bars in high visibility areas such as multiplexes and malls, allowing consumers to interact with bartenders. The same approach will also be extended to the social media domain, with innovative plans to engage the core target group online.

Pepsi Max, the third cola brand of PepsiCo in India, is currently available in cans and PET bottles. Available in two sizes, the can is priced at Rs 15 for 250 ml and Rs 25 for 330 ml. The 500 ml PET is also priced at Rs 25.

The OOH (out of home) campaign will be rolled out in other cities as well following the launch of the product in those markets. Pepsi Max will be marketed in other metros over the next three months and then go to the smaller cities and towns.

Emphasising the scope for growth in the category, Arora says, "The no-sugar category is currently small but poised for growth. With the variety seeking consumer becoming more and more health conscious, products such as Max are here to stay."

The company, which makes Tropicana juice, Frito-Lay snacks and Quaker Oats cereals in addition to its namesake cola, has positioned Pepsi Max as the competition for Coca-Cola's sugar-free carbonated drink Coke Zero across the globe. Coke Zero has not yet been launched in India.

The company also has another zero calorie beverage in India, which is marketed under the brand name Diet Pepsi. However, what differentiates the two is the type of sweetener used. Pepsi Max uses sucralose, which gives a taste closer to the taste of a regular cola, whereas Diet Pepsi uses aspartame as the sweetener.

Pepsi Max was unveiled for the first time in the UK and Italy in 1993, following which it has been successfully introduced in 40 countries around the world, stimulating young adults to 'live life to the Max'.