Coke rethinks PR in fruit juice wars

David Quainton 26-Jan-06

Coca-Cola is reviewing the PR support for Minute Maid, its 100 per cent orange juice drink, only six months after its UK launch.

Minute Maid has so far failed to make an impact on PepsiCo's market-leading Tropicana juice brand. The company expects to complete an agency review within the next month.

'We're looking for some creative thinking to push the brand further now it's been launched,' said Coca-Cola PR manager Joan O'Connor. She added that it had 'talked to a couple of agencies'.

Coke used Burson-Marsteller on brand positioning and corporate PR for the launch of Minute Maid. B-M's consumer agency, Communique PR, has worked on projects for the juice. Communique confirmed that it was involved in the review.

The launch of Minute Maid represented Coke's attempt to gain a foothold in a market in which it has little pedigree. Eighty per cent of its worldwide sales come from carbonated products.

Arch-rival PepsiCo has been much more productive in the healthy drinks market. Ten months ago it acquired UK firm Pete and Johnny, maker of PJ Smoothies.

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