Tag: Beverages

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Pokka, a beverage manufacturer, has appointed Ignite, a creative agency inside The Shout Group, as its designated creative agency for the Singapore and Malaysia markets.

Pokka’s decision to work with Malaysia-based Ignite, represents the brand’s ambitions for growth outside of Singapore. 

Speaking about the appointment, Michelle Nunis, group general manager – marketing (Malaysia & Singapore) at Pokka, said, “All of us at Pokka look forward to collaborating with the team at Ignite. We view Ignite as a strong communications partner and respect their point of views that are stemmed from consumer insights, their ability to constructively challenge us to ensure what is right for our brand and their creative perspective to deliver consumer-relevant and engaging campaigns.” 

Meanwhile, Shaun Tay, co-Owner & chief executive officer of The Shout Group, stated, “Winning over Pokka for both the Malaysia and Singapore markets furthers our goal of building a solid portfolio of cross-border clientele, which already features Darlie, McCain, Febreze, Glad and Offspring, as we’re always keen on opportunities to promote Malaysia as a hub for regional creative development.” 

He added, “That said, being part of Pokka’s plans in unleashing their growth potential is personally exciting for us as it is the driving core of why we created The Shout Group in the first place. My thanks to Rex Macaskill, Group CEO of Pokka Pte. Ltd. and Michelle for trusting us with their brand and business, and we can’t wait to get started!”

Australia – The soft drink brand Schweppes by Asahi Beverages is introducing a new generation of Schweppervescence with the launch of a new brand platform, with the collaboration of Clemenger BBDO. 

The positioning of ‘A Sip for your Senses’ and the first campaign are inspired by the various bubbles that awaken the senses before the first sip when you open a bottle of Schweppes. 

The above-the-line campaign will also introduce Australia to Schweppes’ new brand visual identity, which will be implemented across all product lines in November 2023.

The campaign presenting the new brand platform began on November 11th and is set to run until 2024 across TV, VOD, OOH, Spotify, and in-store.

Speaking about the campaign, Lauren Fildes, general manager of marketing, Asahi Lifestyle Beverages, said, “Schweppes is all about awakening the senses. And we want that feeling to come to life in everything we do – even our communications. So, we set out to create a campaign that’s as much of a sensory experience as our product. Each touch point within this campaign, from the film to the audio ads to the street posters, is designed to make you imagine a place where your senses are instantly ignited.

She added, “We want people to feel the iconic Schweppervescence feeling the moment they see or hear the work.” 

Meanwhile, Clemenger BBDO Group creative director Ant Phillips, said, “Jacob Schweppe was a pioneer in carbonation, bringing fizzy magic to the everyday experience of drinking water. In launching the ‘A Sip for your Senses’ platform, we wanted to celebrate this magic by showing that each and every bubble within a bottle of Schweppes contains its own sensory world of wonder.” 

Singapore – International brewer Heineken has announced the setting up of its global innovation hub in Singapore today. Supported by the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB), the hub is part of the brewer’s global network of five innovation hubs and will enhance collaboration across global, regional and market levels to deliver global innovations that fulfil unmet and emerging consumer needs.

The hub will also contribute to Heineken’s plan to deliver disruptive and scalable product innovations and double Heineken’s innovation rate by 2025. Its goal is to shape the future of beer and beyond to win the hearts of consumers.

Tapping into breweries and pilot plants across operating companies in APAC and research partners in Singapore, the innovation hub team will drive Heineken’s APAC innovation strategy and lead product development projects. 

Collaborating with Singapore’s ecosystem of flavour houses, R&D labs, and institutes of higher learning will help generate IP, build capabilities, and facilitate knowledge transfer.

Jacco van der Linden, regional president for APAC at Heineken, said, “Our APAC innovation hub will allow us to aggregate clusters of consumer data across the region, distil key insights, and translate this into opportunities for innovation. This is a game-changer for us, and we will work with our partners to create new and exciting experiences for consumers like Heineken Silver and the recently launched Tiger Soju Infused Lager. We also thank EDB for their support and look forward to working with them as we accelerate our innovation efforts.”

Meanwhile, Fong Pin Fen, vice president and head of consumer at EDB, commented, “Singapore welcomes Heineken’s decision to tap on our food and beverage innovation capabilities with its APAC innovation hub setup here. Heineken’s new set-up is now part of a vibrant innovation ecosystem of globally leading brands engaging in new product development from Singapore.”

She added, “It will create exciting job opportunities for our talent and collaboration opportunities for our research institutes and startup community. We look forward to the new products being developed out of the APAC Innovation Hub to cater to global markets from Singapore.”

USA – In celebration of Hip Hop’s 50th anniversary, PepsiCo has announced both a partnership and an international campaign that honours and amplifies the legacy of The Notorious B.I.G, one of the genre’s most iconic artists.

Working closely with The Notorious B.I.G. estate and family members, Pepsi has planned a distinct and excitingly immersive campaign that will connect his unique personality, style, and lyrical flow with the sounds of today. 

Being a part of Pepsi’s ‘Thirsty For More’ campaign, the collaboration aims to bring Biggie’s music to life across disruptive virtual and physical experiences and celebrate him from street art across major cities worldwide to limited edition Pepsi MAX cans, all paying tribute to and elevating his influence on popular culture.

Ms. Voletta Wallace, Biggie’s mother and founder of the Christopher Wallace Memorial Foundation, said, “As we celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Hip Hop and its cultural impact on our world, we’re excited to honour Christopher’s legacy and continue bringing his music to a new generation of fans. While his art is timeless, we’ve been working with Pepsi to commemorate my son’s artistry and connect his music with the sounds and artists of today. We hope fans will enjoy it as much as we do.”

Speaking on the collaboration, CJ Wallace, Biggie’s son and founder of lifestyle brand Frank White, mentioned, “My dad is synonymous with rap, and his influence is unmatched. Taking one of his most well-kept secret flows out of the vault and working directly with Pepsi, the brand he cites is pretty dope.”

Meanwhile, Gustavo Reyna, Senior Director Global Marketing at PepsiCo, commented, “In celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Hip Hop, an art form that has touched every corner of the world and evolved into one of the most significant drivers of popular culture, Pepsi is honoured to partner with The Notorious B.I.G. Estate to bring this unique encore of Biggie’s art and talent to a whole new generation of music fans in never-before-seen ways.” 

Singapore – Global beverage company Coca-Cola has joined forces with ‘League of Legends’ game developer Riot Games to release ‘Ultimate Zero Sugar +XP’, a limited edition soda flavour catered to gamers – especially players of League of Legends. 

This collaboration between Coca-Cola and Riot Games marks the first time that Coca-Cola has partnered with a gaming company to create and release an all-new flavour, bringing both industries together to produce a soda aimed to give players a beverage to suit their tastes. 

Accompanying the product’s release, in-game and digital experiences will bring the interactive experiences of the Coca-Cola Ultimate Zero Sugar collaboration to players across the globe. In-game, players can log in to League of Legends and unlock a set of limited edition ‘Ultimate’ emotes by completing a set of missions. 

Outside of in-game interactions, players and fans can scan a QR Code on the can to be transported to the Coca-Cola Creations Hub wherein they can access an Instagram filter allowing players to view themselves in the style of League of Legends emotes for social sharing.

Talking about the collaboration, David Mulhall, head of business development and partnerships at Riot Games said, “We’re excited for players to taste the new +XP flavour, a unique and bespoke collaboration with Coca-Cola, a globally recognized brand loved by millions. Coca-Cola shares many of the player-focused values we have at Riot, and we are honoured to be the first gaming collaboration for Coca-Cola Creations.” 

Rina Surya, frontline marketing director at Coca-Cola ASEAN & South Pacific commented, “Partnering with Riot Games enables us to enhance the Coca-Cola Creations experience by introducing a fresh flavour that represents our shared commitment to putting fans and players at the forefront of everything we do. 

The product showcases a striking packaging design, with shades of black and various shades of gold. The Coca-Cola Creations logo is also complemented by a bespoke ‘Ultimate’ crest and energized with a magical blue Hextech glow, a reference to a type of magic found in the game. Moreover, the design also showcases a unique expression of the recognizable Coca-Cola font, inspired by the Nexus Crystals in League of Legends.

Manila, Philippines – Multinational food and beverage company Universal Robina Corporation (URC) has partnered with the Philippine subsidiary of Japanese drink company Asahi in order to tap into the cultured milk business, valued at PHP6.5b.

The partnership, done with Asahi Beverages Philippines (ABP), will see Goodday cultured milk drinks be soon available in stores nationwide. The cultured milk product contains the probiotic Lactobacillus paracasei MCC1849 to help improve immunity.

Goodday is ABP’s first foray into the Philippine beverage market, and both companies are introducing Goodday as Filipinos – having gone through adversities caused by the COVID-19 pandemic – now have a stronger appreciation for their health.

Irwin Lee, president and CEO at URC, said, “Consumers have made health and wellness a priority over the past few years, and URC’s joint ventures and product innovations in beverages are ready to address their needs. With our partnership with Asahi, we look forward to the addition of Goodday Cultured Milk Drink to our portfolio of beverage brands to better serve Filipino consumers.”

Meanwhile, Hemalatha Ragavan, CEO of ABP, commented, “We strongly believe that Goodday will be made available in all of URC’s distribution networks across the Philippines, and in the hands of our loyal consumers as the demand for immunity-boosting health beverages continue to rise.”

She added, “My team and I are ecstatic as we look forward to establishing Goodday as a household Filipino brand like how URC has done for all its current brands.”

Based on Nielsen’s Retail Audit 2020 on ready-to-drink beverages, cultured milk is the fastest-growing ready-to-drink beverage category in the country. It has outpaced yogurt and milk, while other categories have seen a decline. 

Taipei, Taiwan – The fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) scene in Taiwan has been majorly dominated by local-grown brands, with a greater inclination to dairy products and beverages, the latest data from Kantar’s Brand Footprint report shows.

Leading the list is homegrown brand I-Mei Foods, a well-known milk processor company in the country; followed by Kuang Chuan, another milk brand; and Fresh Delight, a beverage company. Coming up next on the list is local food production company Uni-President, dairy company Wei Chuan Lin Feng Yin, and dairy brand Chui Sui, which is part of the Uni-President company group.

Only two global brands made it as the top FMCG brand choice among Taiwanese, which includes Quakers, Kirkland Signature.

Such high preference to local brands, according to Kantar, can be largely attributed to the rise of retailers in the digital age in Taiwan, and coincidentally the top-three choice brands are well-known retailer staples. According to them, retailers drove growth in consumer purchases via a digital approach – apps, payments and CRM to link the consumer journey. This demonstrates that private labels are now able to meet consumers’ expectations and get the balance between quality and price right. In 2020 they were able to recruit and drive repeat purchases.

Uni-President’s beverage lineup CH’UN CHI CHA ranked as the top beverage brand choice in Taiwan, followed by local beverage brand Hey Song and Super Supau. Global beverage brand Coca-Cola followed suit, then Vitalon Ochaen, a tea beverage brand.

In terms of dairy and dairy substitute products, Kuang Chuan takes the lead, followed by I Mei and Fresh Delight. This is then followed by Wei Chuan Lin Feng Yin and Uni-President’s Chui Sui.

Kantar notes that the reason why Coca-Cola managed to be alongside local brands is due to Coca-Cola’s campaign in 2020 focusing on Taiwan’s cities using local languages to build strong engagement with consumers. 

I Mei also takes the lead in the food category ranking, followed by frozen foods manufacturer Laurel and food brand Uni-President, as well as potato chip brand Lay’s and local food brand TAI SUN.

In the health and beauty category, women sanitary brand Sofy takes the lead, followed by global sanitary brand Kotex and beauty brand Carnation (KNH). Toothpaste brand Darlie follows the list, and global hygiene brand Colgate. For the homecare category, on the other hand, global tissue brand Kleenex tops the list, followed by local tissue brand Andante and De Yi. 

“Brands won through agile adoption and disruption, catering to the growing demand for convenience and by accelerating innovation to win new consumers. In an era driven by data, Kantar is uniquely placed to connect the dots through the consumer journey and link everything back to real purchases to uncover your next growth opportunity,” said Jason Yu, managing director for Greater China Worldpanel Division.