|
Points Credit : 6 points Currently valued at CA $0.06
Kofola is a carbonated soft drink produced in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. It is the principal rival of Coca-Cola and Pepsi on the two markets.
Since 2002 the producer has launched a successful media campaign aimed at a young and hip audience based on the slogan "Když ji miluješ, není co řešit. / Keď ju miluješ, nie je čo riešiť." ("If/When you love her nothing else matters.")
Sales
In Slovakia, Kofola is the most dangerous rival of both Coca-Cola and Pepsi. In 2003, 14.28 million litres of Kofola were sold on the Slovak market; in 2004, Kofola sales reached 19.44 million litres. According to a 2004 survey, 17% of Slovak cola-based soft drink consumers buy Kofola most frequently, compared to 14% preferring Coca-cola. Kofola's market share has doubled in the period of the last three years (4.6% in 2002, 9.4% in 2004).
Ingredients
Kofo syrup, the main ingredient of Kofola, consists of 14 natural ingredients (such as extracts from apple, cherry, currant, or herbal aroma), sugar, and caramel. In comparison with Pepsi or Coca-Cola it contains 30% less sugar, 50% less caffeine and it does not contain phosphoric acid.
source of the above article: some text was used from www.wikipedia.org
More info
Kofola - how the communists' answer to Coca Cola was reinvented for the 21st century
It has been called the communist's answer to Coca Cola and Pepsi - a fizzy cola with an unexpected twist - the Czech and Slovak brand Kofola - actually invented in the 1960s by the Communist Planning Committee as a means of using up surplus caffeine extracted from coffee beans. In the 1970s and 80s the brand enjoyed wide popularity in Czechoslovakia but found itself trouble in 1990 when brand giants like Coca Cola and Pepsi fully entered the Czechoslovak market.
Jan Bosak is Kofola's marketing director: he explains the difficult task his company faced in turning the cola around.
"At the beginning of the 90s the future was very poor [for Kofola] because of the entry of international brands on the local market. Kofola was even withdrawn from the market for a couple years - in fact the brand was dead. Our company started to distribute Kofola because we believed in the tradition, we believed in quality, and we believed in the originality of the product. Two years ago we bought the trademark from the owner and we started to do proper marketing and distribution and the decision just proved to be right."
 Creating an ad campaign aimed at a young and hip audience was a key component to Kofola's future and coming up with the proper slogan was no doubt important. Eventually, the company settled on the catchy "Kdyz ji milujes, neni co resit" - "If you love her nothing else matters", a slogan aimed at tapping into consumers' feelings about Kofola as a brand: a patented mix of various herbs and squash - not quite cola but not quite root beer either - let's just say it's an acquired taste.
The slogan "If you love her nothing else matters" then featured prominently in a memorable ad about a young couple in a posh restaurant.
"Let's say that was the first attempt, let's say, to address the younger generation: very successful in terms of getting awareness."
Dating back to 2003, the ad was catchy not only because of dynamic angles and chic editing, but because it stressed the product's theme: if you love her, then that's that,
A young woman digs into her food with passion while her boyfriend smiles to himself and observes. A clever detail shows her arching foot under the table - a sign of sexual-like thrill as she eats. Clearly she is not the conformist - though she is blissfully unaware of disapproving stares from others in the restaurant.
Then, as her boyfriend gets ready to spring an engagement ring, she spouts a stream of what else - Kofola - in the young man's face. His shirt and tie are soaked, his suit ruined.
But, does it matter? Of course not: he loves her the way she is.
In fact, he loves her because she is so different.
The same, says Jan Bosak, goes for the beverage, both for members of the new generation and those who remember the brand's earlier days. In his view Kofola remains a Czech and Slovak original to which both Czechs and Slovaks can relate, not least because the company ties its brand closely to local traditions.
 "Our marketing strategy is built around the local perception of a brand. If we do a local campaign for Christmas we are always using local phenomena, like local ways of celebrating Christmas in association with the brand and that's a big advantage."
The ad campaign described and ones that have followed - including one where a group of boys shyly buy bottle after bottle from a buxom blonde - have paid off.
Kofola is now planning to expand production and sales to Poland, an investment estimated at 20 million euros, though the company itself has declined to confirm the amount. What challenges await the brand there, compared to the Czech Republic? Jan Bosak confirms that in Poland, Kofola - the brand - will have to start from scratch.
"Kofola as a brand - it's a big question mark because we still have to do proper testing before we enter the market there. Definitely taste tests, definitely tests targeted at product appearance: the bottle, the label, current advertising, lifestyle tests, everything. Those are some of the things that still lie ahead."
source of the above article: some text was used from www.radio.cz
Video:
|
