The television commercial opens on a group of mango vendors. It is the fag end of the mango season and the three vendors prepare to try their hand at a new trade. One becomes a dentist, another takes a shot at palmistry and the third wants to prove his mettle as a mechanic. Bad decision. They just don’t seem to get their act right. As they loll under a tree thinking what next, a boy sitting on the tree springs a surprise. Haven’t they heard of Maaza, the “all season mango”? Bingo! The road ahead is as clear as sunlight. The three vendors can now sell Maaza throughout the year. Get the drift? “Aam ka season khatam ho sakta hai, lekin maaza-ka nahin.”
In other words, Maaza is not simply an answer for the die-hard mango lover who craves mangoes through the year; it is also a solution for those whose livelihood depends on the seasonal fruit. With this story, told in the brand’s signature fun style, beverage maker Coca-Cola India wants to make its mango-based drink Maaza a substitute for mango with a value add — that it is available through the year.
Two things stand out in the Har mausam aam commercial. First, it pushes the story through the experiences of the vendor and not the Maaza drinker, who has been protagonist in most Maaza ads in recent years. The mango-obsessed man who made a mango tree his permanent abode for the last three years or so is conspicuous by his absence.
Two, last year’s campaign proposed that Maaza is a drink that one should take time to relish rather than gulp down in a jiffy as if it were just another bottled drink. The accent was on the taste of the product and the tagline went, “Jaldi kya hai?” The new piece of communication is interesting because it goes back to the earlier strategy to push the drink as a substitute for a mango (Bina gutli wala aam). (In an earlier campaign Maaza was projected an enabler to building friendships and creating fun moments. The campaign, featuring actor Satish Shah, talked about “Yaari Dosti” and replaced the previous tagline of “Taaza mango. Maaza mango”.)
The Coca-Cola spokesperson insists there was nothing inherently wrong in the tack the brand followed last year and that the new campaign has been designed to reinforce the fact that Maaza offers a real mango experience, only better, being available throughout the year. The campaign, conceptualised by Leo Burnet (Delhi) and directed by Abhijeet Chowdhary of QED films, is based on the insight that if we are passionate about something, every minute we have to wait for it seems like an eternity. So why not make the best of the next best thing!
Andriy Avramenko, vice-president, juice business, Coca-Cola India, says the thought really is to strengthen brand Maaza’s strong association with the mango in a very entertaining and engaging manner. “The whole thing about mango is the experience of eating the fruit and you have a wide variety available in the country,” he adds. “The latest campaign for Maaza has been designed to give all mango lovers the opportunity to enjoy the taste of the delicious fruit with new a variety, that is, Maaza. The best thing is this particular variety gives mango loyalists the freedom to gratify their mango craving anytime they want.”
The mango drinks market is among the most competitive. The segment currently account for 90 per cent of the fruit juice market in India. Maaza dominates the category and competes mainly with PepsiCo’s Slice and Frooti, manufactured by Parle Agro. As per industry estimates, the packaged mango drinks market is close to Rs 400 crore and Maaza holds a market share of almost 36 per cent. “We will ensure that we do complete justice to the brand in order for it to be able to retain its leading position. We have allocated a substantial budget for the brand this year,” says Avramenko.
In addition to leveraging mass media advertising, Maaza’s integrated communication plan includes roll out of a range of initiatives spanning out-of-home media, point of sale merchandise and on-ground activations across key markets.
