Thums Up gets a thumbs down from Coke

Looks like Coke is now worried about its own brand Thums Up. The Economic Times reports Coca Coal India has asked its bottling and trade partners to push Coke ahead of other brands in its portfolio.

This move comes as a part of their Vision 2020, where by they plan to promote Coke across all their markets. They have also, for the first time, divided the advertisement account and brought in two of the best known creative agencies in the country: one, Prasoon Joshi-headed McCann Erickson and the other, R Balki-led Lowe Lintas, reports ET . It also brought Weiden + Kennedy on the brand Coke account.

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It even slashed the price of 200 ml Coke to Rs 8 which was soon followed by Pepsi. But Thums Up, which has the biggest market share among Coke’s brands and among carbonate drinks, was left untouched. But one is not sure how this helps Coke as Pepsi has brought its 200 ml bottle to the same price point too. In a market where brand loyalty could be high, customers might be momentarily lured by the lower price before going back to their favourite soft drinks.

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Coke had bought Thums Up from Ramesh Chauhan along with few other brands, Limca, Gold Spot and Maaza in 1993 when it reentered India. Though Coca Cola hardly pushed its Thums Up brand, it performed far better than Pepsi and Coke, thus bringing back its parent’s attention to it.

It seems like Coca Cola wants to get back to its original child now making it better prepared for exciting cola wars ahead!