Diet Coke Plus campaign ridicules health habits

by Nikki Sandison, Brand Republic 10-Aug-07, 11:50

NEW YORK - Diet Coke has unveiled a $13.7m (£6.7m) marketing campaign to back the launch of Diet Coke Plus ahead of the brand's launch in Europe.

The campaign, created by Publicis-owned Duval Guillaume New York, is based on the premise that consumers will go to ridiculous lengths in order to stay healthy. The "weird habits" campaign will initially launch in Belgium before rolling out in other European markets.

It promotes Diet Coke Plus as "an easier way to goodness", highlighting that it has the same taste as regular Diet Coke but with added essential nutrients such as vitamins B6 and B12, plus zinc and magnesium.

The campaign, the first for the Coca-Cola Company from Duval Guillaume, features TV, cinema, magazines, outdoor, online and sampling promotions.

David Simpson, general manager at Duval Guillaume NY, said: "Diet Coke Plus is a great product and we're glad to be able to help Coke make further inroads in Europe. As Diet Coke seeks to retain its loyal customer base and at the same time appeal to the ever-growing segment of the health-conscious, Diet Coke Plus is the right product at the right time."

Alessandro Andolina, director of creative development at the Coca-Cola Company Europe, said: "What has really worked for us has been the ability to execute a truth relevant to the role that the product can have in our consumers' lives.

"The work developed by DGNY is intended to be a strong expression of such truth and we look forward to seeing the results of a successful campaign."

Diet Coke Plus is already available in the US and Belgium and will launch in the UK in October. Earlier this week Diet Coke appointed its retained advertising agency VCCP to handle the roll-out in the UK.