Best thing 7-Up had was the upside down glass and the Geoffrey Holder spot with that memorable delivery of “MARVELOUS!” (The precursor to Hooray Beer!) That glass being the original Easy Button–the perfect realization of what the brand was. Maybe you even dug the Make 7 Up Yours theme. These latest spots though are far removed from any of that, especially this one. Is Sprite kicking their ass so much now that they just gave up? Maybe I’m missing something. Perhaps it’s a parody of the typical All-American goodness and pseudo-corporate themes found in most P&G spots. I doubt it though.
The pun harvest/pick/homegrown theme was executed better in the recent GE eco water harvest, because the brand promise fit. Here, pitching 7-Up as some kind of all-natural, farm-fresh product isn’t right. Maybe if it was orange juice. BUT IT’S NOT. IT’S SODA. THAT’S SUGAR + CARBONATED WATER. That angle rings about as true as an old-fashioned cigarette spot. (In order to see them, go to their site, click on the site map link, and TV ads appear on the next page.) Don’t even get me started on the use of the Patridge Family’s Sunshine in the background either. Hey Sprite, take the year off. With spots like these, you won’t need to run anything.
Tags: 7-Up, Geoffrey Holder
2 comments:
It’s all actually a statement on marketing in the new era. Technically, Sprite overtook 7up a loooooong time ago. In the soft drink arena, it’s barely about Pepsi versus Coke anymore; and there may never have been a real battle between 7up and Sprite. 7up lost its USP (the Uncola) when the alternative arena for colas expanded to include everything from soft drinks to water. It looks like 7up is desperately seeking to find any niche. The brand would probably have more luck repositioning itself out of the category — become a remedy for stomach ailments or a carbonated enema.
“carbonated enema.”
They might get letters on that one.
Post a Comment