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Coke's Burn to make style statement at Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week

Burn Curate, a BTL platform, invites fashion students to create a limited edition paper designer costume inspired by the Burn can

In 2009, Coca-Cola India made its foray into the energy drink space with the launch of Burn. Now, in line with the brand's objective to get closer to the fashion scene and nurture the talent of upcoming designers studying in fashion institutes, the company has launched a Burn inspired on ground initiative.

Christened Burn Curate, the platform invites fashion students to create a limited edition paper design costume inspired by the Burn can. Round 1 of the on ground initiative involves the submission of entries in the form of sketches by the participating teams. After going through all the entries, the jury shortlists the designs, which are then executed on a mannequin. For this, the shortlisted teams from various colleges are provided with Burn cans and Rs 5,000 each, which can be used for buying necessary material required to put together the costume.

Coke's Burn to make style statement at Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week
Speaking on the brand proposition and its reflection in the on ground activity, Avinash Pant, director, Coca-Cola India, says, "Burn is positioned as an energy drink that inspires fierce creativity and such initiatives give vent to the creative energies of young adults who are our target group. Also, the fashion fraternity is full of creative minds and our brand's presence at the fashion weeks serve our purpose of connecting with the youth."

While the first leg of the initiative, conducted in Mumbai, culminated at the Lakme India Fashion Week where designer Rocky S unveiled a mannequin clad in the winning design, the second phase of the activity is underway in Delhi. More than 500 students from 15 fashion colleges participated in Mumbai's edition of Burn Curate. The results for the second phase will be declared on March 22 by a panel of jury comprising ace automobile designer Dilip Chhabria, fashion designer Abhishek Gupta and Pant from Coca-Cola India.

The names of participating colleges include National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), Pearl Academy of Fashion, International Institute of Fashion Technology, Wigan & Leigh College, YMCA, International Institute of Fashion Design and JD Institute of Fashion Technology, amongst others.

The winning design will be displayed at the Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week in New Delhi on March 24-28 and the winning team will be awarded a cash prize of Rs 50,000. Sampling is also being conducted alongside the on ground activity.

Currently, Burn is available in Delhi and NCR, Mumbai and Bengaluru, which are the key markets for the energy drinks category and soon, Coca-Cola plans to take the drink to other markets as well.

By the end of 2009, as part of the brand's first on ground activation, the beverage giant launched the Burn Car - a vehicle designed by ace automobile designer Dilip Chhabria - to conduct sampling of the brand. Speaking on the future plans for the brand, Pant reveals, "Experiential marketing will continue to help us in connecting with our TG (target group) as a direct contact with the audience is important in our category. We will also rely on the Internet to build the brand."

In India, the brand faces competition from Red Bull and Cloud 9.

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