MUMBAI: Apart from being actors, what do Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone, Ranbir Kapoor, Akshay Kumar, Hrithik Roshan and South superstar Mahesh Babu have in common?

This is what… as the summer heat sets in, these biggies have started commanding time on the small screen in various cola ads.

Major cola brands namely Pepsi, Cola Cola and Thums Up have all unleashed their new summer campaign featuring Bollywood and south stars.

While Coca-Cola will be launching its new summer campaign featuring Hrithik Roshan, Pepsi has managed a coup of sorts by getting in debutant Bollywood actors Deepika Padukone (Om Shanti Om) and Ranbir Kapoor (Sawariya) along with Shah Rukh Khan for their new ad with the tag-line Yeh Hai Youngistaan Meri Jaan.

Both these ads are targeted at young Indians. On the other hand, action star Akshay Kumar and Mahesh Babu too have recently shot for a new commercial for Thums Up. The actors will be seen in a daredevil car chase on the streets of Malaysia in the new ad. Thums Up has also rolled out an ad with South superstar Mahesh Babu on the same lines. This ad, with the tagline ‘I Will Do Anything For My Thunder’ is targeted at the Indian male.

Coca-Cola India director marketing Kashmira Chadha says, “The latest Thums Up campaign aims at portraying the anything for my thunder attitude of the Indian male. He is a person who will do anything to get his favorite soft drink. Nothing can come in between him and his Thums Up. To drive this message, an integrated communication plan, involving both above and below the line initiatives are being rolled out.”

The Thums Up ad has been conceptualized by Leo Burnett executive creative director Sainath Saraban and directed by Malaysian director Farouk Aljoffrey.

Akshay Kumar says, “It feels great to be associated with a brand like Thums Up. It is a brand, which is all about energy and a go getting spirit, these are qualities which I closely identify with. What excites me even more is the thunderous taste experience offered by Thums Up. It is an experience which I am sure, would find a special appeal amongst all my fans.”

While the Thums Up ad will be unleashed in March, the Pepsi ad has already been on air since the last few days.

Coca Cola’s ad with Hrithik Roshan will also hit the tube on 2 March. The television campaign will be supported by out-of-home media, digital media and mass media advertising.
 
Coca-Cola’s new ad is based on the theme Jashan Mana Le and is designed to showcase the "magical power" of the aerated drink. The new commercial is set at a quaint street where a group of youngsters land up late one night to grab a bite, only to find all the shops shut. What follows is a tryst with Hrithik and a magical ride, which leaves them in awe. Set in the context of friends enjoying their food, Coca-Cola brings life to the moment and adds the ‘Jashn’ to transform the moment into an impromptu celebration.

Roshan says, “It feels great to be part of the Jashan Mana Le campaign. It reminds me of the time when I was in college, hanging out with friends, going out and having food together.”

Coca-Cola India vice-president (marketing) Venkatesh Kini added, “Having made ‘thanda’ and refreshment synonymous with Coca-Cola, this year we have decided to take the brand communication to the next level. Our 2008 campaign focuses on how a bottle of Coca-Cola infuses a stream of fun, enjoyment and exhilaration into every moment of life. The idea of the new campaign is tell the audience how the magical power of the beverage brings celebration into the lives of its consumers. I am confident that the youth today will strongly identify with both the lingo and message of this campaign.”

Coca Cola will also be rolling out another ad with its brand ambassador Aamir Khan after this campaign. The ads have been conceptualized by McCann Erickson.

The company is launching an integrated communication initiative to include mass media advertising on TV channels, which will be complimented by out-of-home advertising and a range of on-the-ground initiatives including road shows and contests across key markets.