Here’s how ARC Refreshments Corporation, our partner in the Philippines, created a quirky viral ad that resonated with consumers, raised brand awareness, and sparked a major boost to sales.
Meeting beverage marketing challenges with viral content
RC Cola Philippines is our partner in the Southeast Asian country. After becoming a highly popular choice for consumers, they needed to adopt a different selling point following the Filipino government’s introduction of a tax on sugary beverages.
This tax meant that they lost their “more value for your money” benefit for consumers, erasing one of their most important differentiators and competitive advantages. The pricing issue wasn’t the only difficulty facing them - consumer interest in RC Cola had also begun to decrease.
They needed to refresh awareness among their Filipino audience, as well as find a way to stand out in a crowded beverage market. ARC decided on a strategy positioning themselves as a cool and fun brand, targeting younger audiences, specifically Millennials and Gen Z. They decided to reach out to these consumers via quirky, unique campaigns that were engineered to go viral.
Here’s how RC Cola Philippines created a successful viral ad
In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, the Basta RC Cola campaign emerged as a huge hit in the Philippines. Funny and lighthearted, the ads provided much-needed comic relief to viewers who were eager for content that felt like a break from negative news.
The ads were targeted toward younger consumers and relied on absurd humor and unusual imagery that are typically not found in soda ads. The unique nature of the clips helped boost ad recall to 60.6% (13% more than the industry norm) and campaign awareness to 59% (9.6% higher than the standard.).
With this success in mind, ARC’s team engaged in a detailed, painstaking planning process in order to write and produce a new ad. While being aware that the campaign would not be focused on international consumption, the writers and creative team noted what was trending with local Filipino culture and consumers, worked in well-known cultural traditions, and leveraged insights regarding effective audience targeting from the previous campaign.
They decided to lean into the multiverse aspect of its branding, as its advertisements had gained a cult following from viewers. Similar to Marvel’s multiverse, they were able to create their own space, in which consumers embraced original characters and accepted the alternative reality depicted in ARC’s advertisements. The brand also played into the online buzz and anticipation regarding new and upcoming RC Cola commercials.
The team focused on the real-life situation in which the promoted product, the multi-serve RC Cola Litro, was most likely to appeal to consumers. Due to the large size of the product, the team understood that it would be a great option for family gatherings, fiestas, and feasts, and crafted a narrative in which the drink was featured in that setting.
Along with eye-catching, grab-your-attention imagery, the commercial incorporated an impersonator of a famous Filipina singer, who was instantly recognizable to the audience. The ad also acknowledged the cultural tradition of dining together and introduced a familiar, real-life setting in which the viewer could imagine themselves consuming the product with their families.
Strategic distribution of the clip played a major role in its success, with the video being shared on popular Facebook pages in order to maximize exposure. The video appeared on the Facebook page of popular Filipino director Darryl Yap and actress Ina de Belen Estrada, as well as on the Facebook page of the FTTM (Follow The Trending Movement), an online entertainment platform. It was also posted on RC Cola Philippines’ page.
28 million views and a boost to sales: Results that matter
Within days of being published, it was clear that the ad had gone viral and was a hit not only with Filipino consumers but people worldwide. The ad generated the highest-ever viewership and engagement rates for RC Cola in the country.
On FTTM's Facebook page alone, the video received more than 10 million views, with over 20 thousand comments from Filipinos who loved the ad. And RC Cola Philippines' Facebook page saw the video rack up 18 million views, with 10 thousand comments from engaged, interested users from around the world.
That comes out to more than 28 million views, which is particularly impressive in a country with a total population of 114 million people. Many of the users enjoyed the ad so much that they left comments praising the marketing and creative teams behind the clip.
One user, Francis Serrato, noted the local traditions reflected within the video, commenting on the ad’s funny and affectionate tribute to Filipino culture. “Excellent marketing, very Pinoy [Filipino]. Love it,” Serrato wrote.
“Bravo to RC Cola Philippines Creative Team!” wrote Ma Gheraldine Nazareta, another fan of the video. “The writer deserves a great pay [raise] and reward for this witty-funny-relatable commercial story!”
Crafting witty and unconventional advertisements not only captivates audiences but also sets the stage for distinctive brand recognition and heightened product consumption. This approach became particularly remarkable for ARC in the cola industry, allowing it to carve out a unique niche amidst the competitive crowd of giants.
The power of creative and clever marketing
We’re extremely proud of RC Cola Philippines for their tremendous achievement. It’s solid proof of how creativity, authenticity, and leveraging social media platforms for maximum reach can have a significant real-world impact on sales, brand recognition, and market share.
By taking a less traditional route for this particular campaign, RC Cola Philippines created a unique ad that resonated with its audience and translated into a boost for the brand that elevated both the brand’s revenue and popularity with consumers.
Beverage brands and bottlers should learn from RC Cola Philippines' success as an example of how clever, out-of-the-box approaches toward beverage marketing converts to sales and growth.
For beverage brands considering exploring creative approaches for promoting their products, partnering with an established brand like RC Cola gives you a major competitive edge.
With decades of experience in creative marketing, including viral marketing campaigns for the digital era, we’d love to guide you in your marketing, whether it’s to promote an existing product or promote a new offering.
Get in touch with RC Cola International today to learn more about how partnering with us can help you get ahead in your market.
