Charged Launched with a bang; Sets a bar for Energy Drink Marketers
The Coca-Cola Company has invigorated the marketing game of energy drinks with its official launch of Charged on Monday, 13th February 2023. The event, held at LOD, hosted members of the Coca-Cola team, media, influencers, top-performing artists and a fervent crowd of young party-goers. Nothing short of extraordinary, the electrifying event was a true manifestation of what the energy drink "Charged" is all about. Put differently from a marketing perspective, it is safe to say that Charged marks the beginning of a new phenomenon in Nepal as none have looked to position energy drinks in such a manner.
_rVwnrjQh9B_tfovqpqhqedfgzduzwounjyybsdomwhjk6parwwwjgwongcozo2gasrt3x1l.jpeg)
Get Charged!
Energy drinks around the world have one thing in common when it comes to brand positioning. They make conspicuous attempts to associate with action, adventure or extreme sports. In other words, energy drinks consistently aspire to ooze exuberance and dauntlessness when their brand names pop up in the minds of consumers. Adhering to this nature of energy drinks, Charged can be seen aligning its brand position correspondingly.
The perfectly-executed TVC by the brand speaks volumes about the energy drink. With a high-spirited lyrical rap accompanied by an unforgettable beat, Get Charged! TVC is made vibrant by an energetic performance from the lead actor. Furthermore, the BMX bike stunt showcased in the ad proves to be a major component too. Although bicycle motocross is yet to evolve into the mainstream culture of Nepal, Charged has attempted to embody the valiant nature of the sport. This strategy is similar to the likes of Red Bull and Monster partnering with BMX and Motocross/Supercross riders and sports.
The Wave of Energy Drinks in Nepal
As of yet, Charged is the only energy drink in Nepal that has executed a full-fledged brand & marketing exercise. The launch campaign of Charged has been brought to life via integrated efforts across TV, social, digital, OOH and on-ground activations at colleges. Ergo, BrandGuff believes that Charged has set a benchmark for other energy drinks to step up their marketing game in the country.
Pepsi Co's Sting, which was launched in Mid-2022 in Nepal, is the foremost competitor of Charged in Nepal. Although Sting is yet to conduct any rigorous marketing & branding exercises in Nepal, the energy drink has a firm hold of the market in neighboring India. Sting's volume share of energy drinks skyrocketed from 2.5% in 2017 to a whopping 86% in 2021. Also, PepsiCo has confirmed that it has increased marketing and advertising spending by "strong double digits". Coca-Cola and Pepsi rivalry is always a spectacle to watch in the marketing realm. Let us see what PepsiCo's Sting has in store for Nepal.
Additionally, Red Bull is also announcing its return to the Nepalese market. Reb Bull, a brand that induced a global phenomenon of energy drinks, is a strong contender of energy drinks in Nepal too. The brand uses a consumer-centric content marketing strategy, mostly revolving around extreme sports events, through digital media. As such, the drink with the slogan "Gives You Wings" has been able to achieve the highest share of the global energy drink market. That being said, Charged has a price leadership edge over Red Bull which gives an upper hand to the former in a low-income country like Nepal.
Summing Up
With numerous competitors vying to grab hold of the energy drink market in Nepal, Coca-Cola Company has been ahead owing to its marketing prowess. While Sting is a force to be reckoned with, Coca-Cola has also publicized a change in its marketing model. The company is looking to deepen relationships with consumers through digital experiences and also leveraging data insights to better understand its consumers and segment its market, to drive affordability and premiumization. All in all, the launch of Charged in Nepal is a testimony to the aforementioned strategy of Coca-Cola.
