OMG. Is Mirinda's makeover enough to win her some new BFFs?
Wait a minute. This looks familiar. This looks just like... Fanta.
In fact, Mirinda's new look is hitting the shelves, claiming to be fun, colourful and appealing to all those with a zest for life. Can Mirinda's rebrand differentiate itself on a cluttered supermarket shelf? And does this mean more teenagers, the intended target audience, will buy it? PepsiCo no doubt hopes so.
Both brands appeal to the teenage market in the Middle East, speaking directly to the region's burgeoning youth population. Just look at Fanta's rebrand six months before, where they introduced "Play On" characters targeting the iTunes generation, and the continuing story of the Fantanas.
Firstly, the new Mirinda packaging has, significantly, shifted away from talking to the parent, to engaging the teenager - the true ambassador of the brand. Mirinda claims the "new eye-catching colours and trendy new logo" now convey the intense taste of the thirst quencher while epitomising the brand's youthful, fun spirit.
The previous packaging appealed to parents with claims such as "Fortified with Vitamin C" - appealing to the parental eye - which was generally ignored by teenagers who wanted something cool, something their peers would approve of. So the new design is no longer talking to parents; it is talking directly to teenagers.
Secondly, and more importantly, it is tapping into the changing youth culture in the Middle East. The Arab youth have something to say - just observe the number of blogs updated every day in the Middle East, with their constant dialogue between teenagers on their everyday life, things they like and things they don't. They are gaining their independence, they are the new urban youth, who will be drawn to Mirinda's new urban look and feel.
Looking beyond the packaging, the soft drinks market in the Middle East is becoming more dynamic and has great potential for growth, which means that, increasingly, brands need to differentiate themselves, to create emotional connections with their consumers. Social networks are an essential tool because they are at the heart of the teenager's world more than any other. A good example is the Skittles website, where, instead of landing on a homepage, you are directed to Facebook, Twitter, MySpace - facilitating interactive word-of-mouth connections.
So what about the Mirinda rebrand? PepsiCo are definitely on the right path. The packaging has encapsulated the new wave of self-expression that is reverberating among the youth of the Middle East. But have they gone far enough? Have they differentiated themselves within this crowded marketplace? Considering PepsiCo's strong market share, Mirinda could have been bolder and pulled away from its competitors. Also, despite its presence on Facebook, there is no consistent dialogue between the brand and its consumers, much to the brand's detriment.
However, there is a much larger and more important concept at play here.By looking at the wider picture, it is clear that brands in the Middle East are realising the importance the youth place in them as a way of self-expression, and there is a definite shift towards making emotional connection with their audience - a relatively new but vital concept for any brand.
Background
New-look Mirinda from PepsiCo International was launched early in the summer. The four flavours of orange, citrus, strawberry and apple have been repackaged in new graphics to display a new logo and "eye-catching colours that convey the intense taste of the favourite thirst quencher."
"Mirinda is hugely popular throughout the region and we are focusing on its appeal to teenagers by giving it a new brand identity that identifies with their youthful, playful spirit," said Rashid Sharaf, PepsiCo marketing manager Flavor Brands.
The new Mirinda was backed by "a massive promotional campaign centred on heavy instore presence supported by TV, print and online advertising". When asked what prompted the rebrand, PepsiCo said: "The new design comes as part of the brand evolution that highlights the youthful and playful spirit of the brand."
Andy Hayes, GM Lambie-Nairn ME Rating 4.5
© Gulf Marketing Review 2009
