ADV 206 - Creative Brief
Jackie Teller, Kate Nerviano, Tim Dunne
Demographic: “Half a Virgin” should target both male and female consumers between
the ages of 18 and 34. According to MRI+ data, the majority of cola drinks are consumed
in the southern region of the US. Therefore, the product should initially target the
majority of its marketing and advertising expenses in the south, until the product is in
greater demand.
Psychographic: The mindset of the target market is upbeat and yearning for excitement
from the professional world, while staying healthy. For educated, health conscious
consumers who are looking for a flavorful beverage, “Half a Virgin” can satisfy their taste
buds and will not leave them feeling regretful for wasting calories. “Half a Virgin” could
be marketed to the energy drink, organic foods, and cola target audiences. More
specifically, health savvy consumers tend to be highly educated, and in the interest of
this product, the target is youthful, “hip” consumers that feel bad about themselves after
drinking soda. The consumer insight is “I hate feeling guilty after drinking Pepsi!”
Challenge: Since Coca-Cola and Pepsi already dominate the carbonated soft beverage
market in the US, “Half a Virgin” will have to change the way people think about soda.
This product will have to create a healthier, trendier image in order to change the
behavior of specific beverage consumers. The brands image is already somewhat
established from the other markets it is involved in. This drink has to appeal to
consumers with a fun, youthful sense of style.
Objective: The goal of this campaign is to introduce “Half a Virgin” cola to the U.S.
market and capture 5% of the soft drink market share in 24 months.”
Proposition: Guilt-free satisfaction.
Reason to Believe: The brand of this product, Virgin, is already established in the US.
The company manages all of its markets with a fresh and lively attitude, which is exactly
what is necessary for the success of this product. “Half a Virgin” will be appealing to
consumers because of its dynamic image. Since Americans are becoming increasingly
obsessed with weight loss and having the “perfect body,” this products emphasis on the
moderation of calories and sugar, will help make it a successful campaign.
Mandatories: “Half a Virgin” must have a vibrant and appealing logo to attract new,
young, and energetic consumers. The company must also create a memorable, catchy
slogan to stick to the minds of a large population right away. Also, print ads, online ads,
television commercials and sponsorship of large events are necessary. All ads must
feature a product shot, so consumers know what to search for on shelves.
Tone of Voice: This product is looking to represent a lively, youthful population. The
consumers who fall into this category are established, confident, and active people.
These consumers are busy, “always on the go” professionals who care about staying in
shape, but also like to have fun.
Positioning: The target market for this product are trendy, vivacious, and health
conscious consumers who are looking for excitement. This product differentiates itself
from other soft drinks or dietary beverages because it leaves the consumer feeling
pleasured once the drink is finished, instead of feeling guilty about splurging on calories.
Argument/Rationale
Jackie Teller, Kate Nerviano, Tim Dunne
Introducing “Half a Virgin” into the U.S. market will definitely not be an easy task
with the already existing and dominant soft drink companies. However, with the right
marketing tactics, success is possible. To achieve a strong marketing strategy, the
company must make sure they are targeting the right consumers. Targeting a vast
population, specifically between the ages of 18 and 34, will be beneficial because this is
the age group of people that will be most concerned with the health benefits that this
product has to offer. Additionally, this age group will help the company target college
students, who are vulnerable to try new products, especially if they are sponsored
exclusively on certain campuses. The age group of 18-34 also encompasses first-time
parents, who are adamant on providing the best products possible for their children.
Parents will be persuaded to buy “Half a Virgin” for their growing children who insist on
drinking Coca-Cola, because it will provide the same sweet taste for their children, with
half the calories and sugar. Also, according to the MRI+ data, the south holds the
majority of soft drink consumers. This product should begin to achieve recognition in the
southern part of the U.S., and then gradually work its way to the rest of the country as it
prospers. This way, the company will have a chance to see what is working or needs to
be changed in terms of appealing to the consumers.
The consumers that this soft drink is targeting are upbeat, active people with
busy lives. The target market is educated, which is why they will be attracted to the
moderation of ingredients in “Half a Virgin.” In the way that energy drinks are often
sponsored at sporting events, concerts, or on college campuses, this may be a great
way for this product to achieve recognition as well. Since Coca-Cola and Pepsi already
dominate the beverage industry, this product will need to use advertising to change the
way people think about soda. This drink will have to create a healthier and trendier
image in order to change consumer behavior. Since the company is aware of the strong
competition from other brands of soft drinks, the objective is to achieve 5% of the
beverage market share in 2 years. This is a reasonable goal to strive for in an industry
that is already significantly dominated.
“Half a Virgin” cola is a product that allows consumers to feel free to indulge in
this healthy alternative to ordinary sodas. After purchasing a Coca-Cola or Pepsi,
consumers may feel buyer’s remorse when they realize how many calories they are
about to intake. Even if it is a Diet Pepsi or Coke Zero, the substance of soda is known
to contain harmful ingredients, which is where “Half a Virgin” has the opportunity to
differentiate itself. “Half a Virgin” is going to make consumers look at soda in a whole
new light. The moderation of calories and sugar in this drink will give consumers guiltfree satisfaction with their purchase.
The advertisements for this brand will have to be aesthetically pleasing and
extremely vibrant. Since this is a new product, it will have to catch consumer’s attention
at a first glance and be easy to recognize. The company will have to be risky and create
a slogan that will be memorable in coordination with the product’s provocative name.
Since Virgin is already a successful company and has connections in other industries,
they could invest in hiring celebrities or trendy public figures who could help promote
“Half a Virgin” cola on commercials, billboards, or print ads.
The consumers being targeted for the introduction of this soda are lively,
energetic people who live full and active lives, and the tone of voice in advertising will
reflect this. By creating a trendy and exciting brand image, “Half a Virgin” can attract
active, health orientated people, as well as those who would like to think they are in style
and full of energy. Overall, “Half a Virgin” cola is a product that people can grab on the
go and know they are not enjoying it at the expense of their health. Portraying the
product as fun, youthful, and vigorous creates the necessary image that Virgin needs to
successfully break into the North American cola market. This product differentiates itself
from the competition by being a healthier cola that isn’t dominated by the taste of
artificial sweeteners. By positioning ourselves as a healthier drink that still has the flavor
everyone loves, “Half a Virgin” can attract those who care about their health and
wellness. In the U.S. consumers are becoming increasingly aware of their health and
many current consumer trends revolve around a desire for healthy lifestyles. By
emphasizing this product as a hip, lively, and healthier product compared to other cola
brands, the company can position this product as a cola you do not have to feel guilty
about drinking.