Coke banks on new products to drive sales
New Delhi: After launching its Minute Maid pulpy orange juice in PET bottles and a new bolder Fanta in the south, Coca Cola is planning to introduce products like Maaza aam panna and Masala Limca in select markets in the country. The two variants are being test marketed in 200 ml cartons in Agra, Bhopal and Bareilly. Priced at Rs 12, the product could be launched nationally if the response is favourable.

The new launches come in the second round of product innovation by Coca-Cola in the country. In the past, the company had launched Sunfil orange juice powder and Vanilla Coke which were withdrawn after lacklustre sales. Its biggest gamble of packaging its beverages in five-rupee glass bottles too turned out to be commercially unviable, though it did drive volumes initially.

After the southern states of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, the company is planning to launch Minute Maid in Punjab. Till a new production line comes up in the state, by September, the company will feed the market with imports from China. There is also a proposal to set up Minute Maid fountains in restaurants.

Coca-Cola India will also soon test-market "Masala" Limca in three flavours, mint, ginger and jal-jeera. The Limca packs will come with a pouch which can be mixed with the drink to add the flavor. The company will kick off a radio campaign to support the product.

The company is also launching its "Red Lounge" in a mall in Pune. "The concept is extremely popular in the US and in some Asian countries such as Singapore," a Coca-Cola India official added.

Music shows get the eyeballs for TV channels
Mumbai: Music talent TV shows are getting eyeballs and big advertising bucks for TV channels. The three general entertainment channels (GECs) - Zee Television, Sony Entertainment Television (SET), and Star Plus - have their respective music shows SaReGaMaPa, Indian Idol and Star Voice of India and are expected to collect over Rs 60 crore as advertising revenue from the music programmes.

In TAM Media Research''s top 100 TVRs (during June 3 to June 9), both Zee''s and Star''s shows share the 14th position with a rating of 6.4 each, while Sony''s show ranks 33 with a rating of 5.3, on June 8.

Channel executives said that as viewership involvement is high, advertisers find the programmes useful to connect to their consumers.

Media executives say the format of the musical shows enable audience engagement and provide advertisers the platform to interact with the target group.

Apart from this the shows are big money spinners for the channels. Industry sources said Indian Idol 3, for instance, has made over Rs 26 crore with just eight sponsors in this season apart from the revenue it will earn via the ten- seconds slots. SET is charging around Rs 1.75 lakh for a ten – second slot, while Star Voice of India commands close to a lakh. As for Zee TVs musical programme almost 80 per cent of commercial time for SaReGaMaPa Challenge 2007 was pre-sold and the show is Zee''s hot property for the ad revenues it generates for the channel. Media sources say almost 6 per cent of Zee TV''s ad revenues come from the show.

Reebok ropes in Scarlett Johansson as brand ambassador
Leading sports goods brand Reebok has announced that Hollywood actress Scarlett Johansson would be its new brand ambassador, thereby, marking its foray into the burgeoning lifestyle business. In keeping with this the sports goods brand also revealed its latest collection, `Scarlett Hearts Rbk'' collection, a fashion forward, athletic inspired footwear and apparel line in India.

A statement from the company said, "Scarlett embodies the pulse points of our brand-individuality, authenticity and a life lived to the fullest in perpetual motion. These characteristics make her the perfect fit for our new women''s footwear and apparel collection. The launch of Scarlet Hearts Rbk collection is an exciting time for us and marks our foray into the lifestyle arena. While our core remains sports, we are looking at sports inspired lifestyle in a big way. Youngsters today love a sporty causal look and we are best poised to synergise fashion with sports and provide the customer the much desired look," the statement said.

Amul banks on healthy offerings
New Delhi: Amul is be heralding a whole new portfolio of health and wellness products which are right even for diabetics and weight watchers. These include sugar free or probiotic ice candies, frozen desert, chocolates or the soon to be launched lassi with benefits ranging from improving immunity and digestion, building stronger bones, to allowing diabetic patients the joy of a sweet tooth without altering insulin levels.

Amul has just launched its range of fitness candies, Stamina, in two flavours, thereby completing its health range under the ice-cream category. Stamina contains carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals to help in the maintenance and growth of the body and keep active throughout the day the company said.

The company has priced its candies at Rs 8 for a 60 ml pack, and is targeting kids, youth and health conscious adults. In January this year Amul had launched a probiotic (Amul Prolife) and sugar free (Amul Sugarfree) range of ice-cream deserts. It is now in the process of testing its probiotic lassi in Ahmedabad. These would be gradually rolled it out in other markets, since its shelf life will be only two-three days.

HUL launches water purification system
Hindustan Unilever (HUL) has launched `Pureit,'' a home water purification system. The company claims the system offers complete protection from all water-borne diseases like jaundice, diarrhoea and cholera. The company says the system does not need gas, electricity or continuous water supply. `Pureit'' costs Rs 1,600 a piece. It runs on a `GermKill'' battery kit that lasts for 1,500 litres. The batteries cost Rs 300.

Tide detergent record
Procter and Gamble''s Tide detergent brand recently created a record of sorts by setting up India''s `longest clothesline'' that ran around the Necklace Road along the Hussain Sagar in Hyderabad City. The 5-km clothesline had 2,400 clothes on it and earned P&G a place in Limca Book of Records for creating the longest clothesline.

The company said Tide is one of the company''s largest brands in the world with annual sales of $5 billion. Film actress Ramyakrishna was present as Tide showcased the clothesline in the city.

Hindustan Lever may withdraw Fair & Lovely ad
Hindustan Lever is likely to discontinue its Fair & Lovely ad campaign, which has come under heavy criticism for showing darker women at a disadvantage vis-à-vis fair-complexioned women. Fair & Lovely, the largest-selling skin whitening cream in the world, has an over-50 per cent share of the Rs 1,200- crore Indian market for skin whitening products, a market that is estimated to be growing at 15 per cent a year.

Wipro introduces `green'' PCs
Wipro Infotech has introduced a new range of eco-friendly desktops and laptops in the country. The Wipro Greenware range is compliant with RoHS (Restriction of hazardous substances) directive, thereby reducing e-waste.

At present, eight products of the company — five desktops and three notebooks — are 100 per cent RoHS-compliant. By the yearend, the company says it will ensure that the entire product range of laptops and desktops is RoHS-compliant. Though the company incurred additional cost to manufacture RoHS compliant products it was not charging a premium, as the company wants to encourage the use of eco-friendly products. Wipro has set up its e-waste management process called Wipro Green Computing, which spans across its product lifecycle, from designing and manufacturing to the final disposal.

Wipro''s PC would be free of hazardous material such as brominated flame retardants (BFR), PVCs and heavy metals like lead, cadmium and mercury that have been regularly used in computer manufacture so far.