Last week, there were rumors about Coca-Cola and Pepsi changing its key beverages formulas to correspond with the new Californian law and remove carcinogens out of their sodas.
Coca-Cola
Apple, Google and Amazon are the leaders of the World’s Most Admired Companies 2012 chart, unveiled as result of the new survey conducted by the Fortune trade publication and the Hay Group consultancy—a total of 698 companies from 32 countries were included. The companies, which top most of lists of the most successful businesses, are followed by Coca-Cola, IBM, FedEx, Berkshire Hathaway, Starbucks, Procter & Gamble and Southwest Airlines correspondingly. The first two leaders hold their positions for several consecutive years—for instance, Apple heads the chart for the fifth year in a row, Google was the second most admired company in 2010 and 2011 as well (see the last year’s list here).
Powerade, the sports drink, which helps athletes avoid dehydration while training and competing, is launching a new campaign dubbed ‘Power Through,’ which comes as extension of the ‘Game Science’ marketing effort, also launched ahead of March Madness. The new round of the campaign includes a TV commercial developed by Wieden+Kennedy Portland (the spot aired yesterday, on March 4), as well as print and digital elements to arrive in the coming months. According to Ad Age, the new advertising push from Powerade, which is official sports drink of the NCAA, is highlighting the “underdogs and hard work,” and targets young athletes.
Sprite has launched a new campaign dubbed ‘Uncontainable Game’ in a very Nikeish style, encouraging young consumers to share their dedication to sport. The new marketing effort, which was launched last night during NBA All-Star weekend in the USA, stars legendary basketball players Kobe Bryant and LeBron James along with Andrea Bargnani of Italy, Al Horford of the Dominican Republic, Omri Casspi of Israel and Serge Ibaka of the Republic of Congo, and is considered the largest global campaign Sprite has ever executed since this effort is to be launched across 27 countries. Ad Age reports that “Sprite plans to carry the program into at least 2014.”
Coke Zero, the no-calorie drink from the beverage giant, has kicked off a new campaign in Great Britain, following on the heels of the new round of Diet Coke ‘Love It Light’ promotion in the country, launched in partnership with the Benefit Cosmetics beauty company. The new marketing effort targeted at young male will be rolled out on video on demand services and online until early March and will be offering the drink’s fans to ‘Taste the Possibilities’ (as the strapline says).