BBDO hits the screen running with Bheja Fry

Are first impressions really the last impressions? We’ve still got to figure that out! BBDO India has launched its first TV commercial for the first business that it is handling in India, 7Up from PepsiCo.

BBDO Worldwide, which belongs to the Omnicom Group, entered India as an independent agency, BBDO India, in October 2007. Says Pratik Pota, executive vice-president, marketing, flavours, PepsiCo India, “BBDO is a globally aligned agency for PepsiCo, which means they have been able to draw upon their international networks for learnings from across the world.”

The TVC depicts a young boy in various Bheja Fry (trying, annoying) situations. Fed up, the boy is urged to grab a bottle of 7Up by a vendor, using the ‘Bheja Fry? 7Up Try!’ tagline. The lemon and lime flavour of the drink is talked about in the TVC, which takes the idea of refreshing one’s mind and mood that much further. The film ends with the 7Up mascot, Fido, coming on the screen and bringing out the tagline, ‘Bheja Fry? 7Up Try!’ (Submit your opinion on this ad.)

The idea of Bheja Fry goes back to the time when the pitch was called for in late 2007. Following a multi agency pitch, BBDO walked away with the business using the Bheja Fry premise.

Pota says, “When the pitch was called for, we were looking at expanding our talent pool and bringing in a larger set of people, who would contribute fresh ideas and a different line of thinking for the brand.”

Josy Paul, chairman and national creative director, BBDO India, says, “The proposition of the brand as a ‘mood enhancer’ has just been launched with the line ‘Bheja Fry? 7 Up Try’. The idea is insightful and has immense potential. You’ve heard of room fresheners and mouth fresheners... now this is a mind freshener!”

Talking about the life of the Bheja Fry proposition, Pota says, “The strong connection to consumers’ lives make it a strong, consumer relevant proposition that can deliver growth and consumer connect for the brand in times to come.”

Paul adds, “It’s too early to say how the outlook has changed towards the brand. But we believe we have collectively hit upon something good, something that touches the root cause and resonates with the diverse Indian mindset.”

“The 7Up brand is evolving. The lime and lemon category is growing. The time is right for the brand to connect with a larger set of consumers. The market is fluid, just like the drink. This is the time for action, not evaluation,” says Paul, when asked about the expectations from the communication and from the agency, as compared with what JWT has delivered till date.

Pota reveals, “The new campaign is based on a simple insight that in a young person’s life, many things happen which leave him irritated, stressed, fatigued and which pull him down physically and mentally. In such situations, the natural lemon and lime flavour of 7Up refreshes him, bringing him back into a zone of excitement and good cheer. It delivers great empathy while communicating the brand message in a youthful manner.”

A change that can be seen in the new TVC is that Fido has been relegated to the sidelines; he played a central role in all of JWT’s communication work for 7Up. Why is this? Is this a sign of Pepsi gradually shedding Fido as its mascot for 7Up? All Pota will say is, “Fido has long been a familiar 7Up icon and a very popular character among the Indian youth. Fido has played different roles in 7Up communication over the years and continues to be a part of the brand’s current communication as well.”

The Bheja Fry campaign will be backed by a comprehensive 360 degree marketing plan, comprising television, print, radio, outdoor, web activation with consumer generated content and intensive on-ground activation at major youth hangouts to connect with the youth and bring alive the brand proposition. The brand will support the campaign in Bheja Fry places such as high traffic zones, youth hangouts and college campuses with messages customised for these contexts, Pota says.

“We have ambitious plans for the brand in the next 12-18 months. The 7Up portfolio has lots of surprises waiting to be unveiled,” he signs off.