Festive campaigns by Coca Cola and Cadburys

Coca Cola has launched a special festive season communication drive of its carbonated drink brand Thums Up. While the "Taste the Thunder" TV commercial features Akshay Kumar performing acts like mountaineering and roller coaster ride, the company is also launching a similar initiative for the market in southern states featuring Tollywood star Mahesh Babu.

The initiative comes as a follow-up to the company's announcement of venturing into the 350 ml pack segment of all its major brands.

Cadbury India has launched a new television commercial for its Cadbury Celebrations Diwali gifting range featuring Amitabh Bachchan.

Over the years, Cadbury Celebrations has been driving the message of 'A gift that helps foster relationships'. The new commercial seeks to extend it to the special relationship that one shares with friends which forms the plot of this television commercial.

The new TV ad, already appearing on televsion blends a plot, humor and childhood nicknames like 'Laten' and 'Kutub Minar' to revive memories of close friendships in viewers.

The ad stars with a shot of Big B reading a newspaper. He sees his childhood friend's picture (Sachin Khedekar) being awarded as 'Businessman of the year'. He calls to wish his friend, but can't get through him. That's when, his mother (Zora Sehgal) tells him, its Diwali, why call, go surprise him with something meetha. Bachchan reaches Khedekar's place, asks the watchman to call 'Lanten'. "Who's Lanten? There is no Lanten here", replies the watchman. How he meets 'Lanten' and how the special gift - Cadbury Celebrations Rich Dry Fruit pack revives their bond becomes the crux of the ad.

The commercial has been created by Contract Advertising (India) Pvt Ltd and directed by Sujit Sarkar. Along with television, the other media channels used will be print, radio, outdoor and extensive mall activities in key centres across the country.