In a bid to ``build confidence'' in the consumer, Pepsi has launched an innovative series of ads which highlight the winners of its on-going ``I'll change the century'' promotion. Under the promotion -- linked to Fountain Pepsi sales -- consumers are being offered prizes such as two Opel Corsas, 100 Nokia 3210 cellphones, 10,000 Pepsi calculators and one million 300 ml Pepsi bottles.

According to Pepsi sources, the idea is to promote participation and enhance credibility in such schemes, by educating the consumer and spreading awareness that `people like us' do win such contests. In one recent ad for example, Pepsi introduces Naresh Kumar, a resident of Subhash Nagar, New Delhi, who has won a Nokia 3210 cellphone. To reinforce the brand loyalty, the copy describes Naresh Kumar as a ``hard-core Pepsi drinker''. The `winners' campaign will be inserted in the local press, and will continue till the end of November 1999, when the promotion ends.

A touch of Candy

In an effort to create awareness for its new launch-Onida Candy-Mirc Electronics has launched an aggressive television campaign nationally. Designed by Ogilvy & Mather Advertising, the campaign includes a series of television commercials. The agency has taken the humourous route to drive home the benefits of the small-sized (14 inch) television sets. ``As sweet as candy'' reads the tagline of the campaign.

Focussing on service

Schindler India Private Ltd has recently launched a print campaign across the nation, comprising six press advertisements. Created by Chaitra Leo Burnett, the campaign includes six creatives that highlight the different aspects of the company. According to Saurabh Goorha, senior accounts executive, Chaitra, the campaign is targeted at builders, architects, contractors and interior designers across the country.``It's a 125-year old global company, so we highlighted this aspect in our first ad. The other ads talk about the company's expertise, service strength and innovative spirit,'' adds Goorha.

``Meet your service engineer, he's the square at the bottom of the picture,'' reads the headline of one of the ads. The campaign has been released in 10 leading dailies. According to Goorha, the main objective of the campaign is to announce the arrival of the Schindler lifts in India.``We have also released the ads in many leading trade magazines,''adds Goorha. As of now, the company has no plans to launch a television campaign to support the print campaign.

Maruti launches Puja campaigns

Maruti Udyog Ltd's two new Puja campaigns for Maruti 800, created by Rediffusion DY & R, is targeted at the West Bengal and Gujarat markets. In Bengal, the 3-ad print campaign reflects the cultural ethos of Bengal with a tagline-`Thank God there's a Maruti 800'. The first ad shows a Bengali housewife, all decked up to go to the pandal, with the sari pallu draped over her shoulder. However, from the end of the pallu hangs a car key with Maruti wings instead of the mandatory house keys. This signifies the coming of age of the Bengali woman and the resultant freedom that the Maruti brings to her.

Similarly the second campaign focuses on kulo (Puja tray) which is being taken to the Puja bari. There are no visuals of the car in the first two ads -- it's only the third one that shows the interiors of Maruti 800, filled with everything that one would buy for the Puja -- from a Baluchari sari to mishti doi.

In Gujarat, Maruti is joining navratra festivities with 3-ad campaign. Driven by a baseline of `Mari Navratri, Mari Maruti 800', the print campaign uses red as the dominant colour. Nightlong dancing during the Navratras gets translated into Garba around `My wonderful Maruti' in the first ad; and the graceful movement of the dancers draws metaphorical parallels with the manoeuvrability of the 800.