CCEP has unveiled a new £10m advertising campaign for Diet Coke, to support its new campaign for 2018. As part of a brand refresh, the first development will see packs across GB take on a new look and feel. The new pack design coincides with the arrival of new flavours and a new marketing campaign.

The updated design has been developed specifically for the GB market, targeting both current fans and new drinkers. The new design features a larger logo etched into the background.

As part of the brand refresh, two new flavours are also set to join the Diet Coke line-up in the UK: Exotic Mango and Feisty Cherry. 

Completing a trio of developments for the brand, is a new campaign creative Because I Can, which will see the brand encourage consumers to live their life unapologetically. The new 30-second TV airs this month. The campaign will also feature above-the line activations including six-sheets, advertising and digital marketing.

Simon Harrison, customer marketing director at Coca-Cola European Partners said: “2018 promises to be an exciting year for Diet Coke as we continue to evolve and update the brand for both loyal drinkers and a new wave of fans coming into the brand for the first time. The new additions were designed with some of the fastest-growing consumer trends in mind, and underline our commitment to offering consumers even more choice through a portfolio of light flavour options.”

CCEP is also launching two new variants of Diet Coke and one for Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, in a move to build on the growing consumer demand for light colas and flavour options in Great Britain.

Diet Coke, the number two soft drinks brand in GB, will see the addition of Exotic Mango and Feisty Cherry, as part of CCEP’s strategy to boost its lights portfolio and offer more low-calorie options to consumers. This is the first time the brand has introduced new flavours since 2003 and the variants will be the first in the Diet Coke portfolio to feature a brand-new contemporary design, which includes images and coloured banners to reflect the bold flavours.

Coca-Cola Zero Sugar Peach will also be available following the success of the brand’s Cherry and Vanilla variants in 2017. It will feature a new, sophisticated red can design to celebrate the iconicity of the Coca-Cola brand.

Further initiatives from CCEP include the GB launch of iced tea brand Fuze Tea  – a fusion of the flavours of fruits, botanicals and tea, with two low-sugar variants.

The two variants will be available in 400ml PET on-the-go bottles from the middle of January and 4 x 400ml PET bottle multipacks in March as part of a phased launch. At approximately 4gm of sugar per 100ml Fuze will be Soft Drinks Tax exempt.

The launch is supported by a £4million marketing campaign across TV, print, and digital and social channels and in-store sampling targeting millennials which are the largest iced tea consumer group. The campaign titled ‘Serve yourself a little me time’ encourages consumers to take a moment to unwind in their busy lives, and refresh with a Fuze Tea.

In a packed programme of launches, CCEP is also unveiling a brand refresh and new Sprite Lemon Lime and Cucumber No Sugar variant as part of the brands’ biggest investment in more than five years.

Introducing a new bottle and brand re-design across the entire Sprite portfolio, the new look will retain the iconic green colour Sprite has used since 1961, while up-weighting refreshment cues with lemon and lime imagery on all can and bottle formats.

The dimples that currently feature on existing 500ml bottles of Sprite will for the first time form part of the 2lt bottle design, representing the drink’s refreshing, citrus bubbles.

In addition to Sprite’s new look, Sprite Lemon Lime and Cucumber No Sugar will be on shelves at the end of February. The refreshing mix of lemon, lime and cucumber will help retailers tap into consumer demand for light-flavoured carbonates that are experiencing strong market growth. Made from 100% natural flavours and available in 330ml cans, 500ml and 2L PET bottles, Sprite Lemon Lime and Cucumber No Sugar is soft drinks tax exempt, contains zero calories and is free of caffeine and preservatives.

Sprite will be backed by a £3.3million marketing campaign, spanning digital and print advertising channels, which will target the brand’s largest consumer group, millennials, who consume around 65% of flavoured carbonates in GB. The campaign will communicate the brand’s natural flavour, no sugar message and over 400,000 consumers will have the opportunity to taste the new variant through in-store sampling.

Simon Harrison, CCEP’s customer marketing director GB, said: “This month marks an exciting time for Sprite as we announce its biggest investment in more than five years. The introduction of the cucumber-flavoured variant and brand redesign will look to grow one of our much-loved core brands which is currently worth almost £55million in GB.

“With zero-sugar flavoured carbonates currently driving growth within convenience and grocery, there is no better time to launch Sprite Lemon Lime and Cucumber No Sugar which we’re confident will excite our core millennial audience who are always on the look-out for new innovative flavours and experiences.”

The whole Sprite portfolio will be Soft Drinks Tax exempt.

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