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The “funny and creative” ads are targeting health-conscious consumers.

Retail News examines the thought processes behind the latest marketing efforts from FMCG companies in the Middle East.

Pepsi MD waxes lyrical on its marketing ‘first'

Pepsi has produced a full-length musical film, set to be unveiled in early 2008. In its latest release, the company has claimed to be the first company to use "such creative ways to market their products."

Bahr Al Nujoom (Sea of Stars) will feature Arab singing sensations Haifa Wehbe, Wael Kfoury, Carole Samaha, Ahmad Al Cherif and Ruweida Al Mahrouqi, and has been billed as the first musical produced in the Arab world.

"Pepsi is known as a pioneer when it comes to creative marketing, but this production with such a ‘starlicious' cast has taken marketing to a completely different level," said Mustafa Moussa, PepsiCo International's regional marketing director.

Unilever focuses on gleaming campaigns

Unilever Arabia has launched a string of new products including the new Comfort Essence, offering "three times more freshness than normal fabric conditioner."

The campaign will introduce a character called Tamer from Cloth World, who will be locked in a glasshouse for a fortnight in popular malls across the GCC to prove that Comfort Essence, the ‘first concentrated fabric conditioner brand to be launched in Arabia,' can keep your cloth fresh for that amount of time.

The company has also launched Kitchen and Bathroom Cream sprays from Jif. The third addition, LUX Shine bars and shower gels, contain a new fragrance, moisturisers, and the sparkling shine of crystals.

Magic opts for ‘natural' wit

The new TV campaign for beverage brand Magic has been created to bolster its expansion strategy to enter 12 countries in the Middle East this year.

The campaign consists of a series of witty commercials to be broadcast across the region in a bid to create consumer awareness about the new ‘natural energy' category.

Magic's natural energy communication campaign addresses "the natural positive alternative versus the dramatised ‘negative' means of acquiring the kick that other products offer," according to Loai Houran, general manager, Al Sayer Soft Drinks.

The commercials involve scenarios relating to consumers' everyday life, including a day at the office, an early morning drive and going to the movies. The advertisements aim to reflect what the natural energy drink is all about; a unique, fun, and everyday natural energy drink, without the negative side effects and "medicinal or chemical flavour," which consumers might experience with other energy drinks.

The brand has opted for "funny and creative ads" to shift its image from the "overly saturated market and clutter while firmly placing itself as the premium "natural" energy drink for the positive, ambitious, pioneering, health-conscious, and well-balanced consumer."

"Along with the TVC, the sampling team will be located in high footfall areas offering Magic natural energy in a unique yet comfortably surprising way, which promises to stimulate the consumer to try something exceptional in the energy drinks category," added Houran.

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