Mountain Dew case study

Mountain Dew, is a yellowish green sugar rich drink with a relatively high degree of
caffeine. Pepico, took over this product in 1964 in an effort to complete its product
line up in the CSD (Carbonated Soft Drink) category. Ever since 1974, the ad agency
BBDO has been taking care of the advertising campaign of Mountain Dew. Through
its creative ad campaigns, Pepsi co and BBDO succeeded in taking Mountain Dew to
the number 3 position in its category with a market share of 7.1. by 1999. However,
both Pepsi and BBDO felt that the current campaign has become more or less
saturated and predictable. Also competitors have been catching up following the
similar campaigns based on extreme sports. So Pepsi co came up with a strategy to
revise the mountain Dew campaign to focus the development of new creative which
should “symbolize that Drinking Mountain Dew is an exhilarating
experience” Since then, BBDO has been challenged with the task of coming up with
a new set of 3 creatives for Mountain Dew that are to be selected for the next years
campaign and the best 2 to be played during the next season of Super bowl.

The decision filters suggested to BBDO were:-

1. Expand appeal of Mountain Dew to new users while reinforcing it among
current users. Target 18 year olds as epic center of the creative while
ensuring appeal amongst 20-39 age group (current users)

2. Communicate that drinking Dew is an exhilarating experience

3. Drive universal appeal (white, African American and other ethnic)

4. The creative should bring out the Product benefits viz: Energizing, Quenching,
and great taste, Emotional benefits viz. Exhiliration and suiting to an
irreverent, daring and fun personality

BBDO came up with a set of 5 creatives from which 3 are to be short listed They are:-

1. Labor of love – A humorous spot about the birth of a Dew drinker. The doctor
calls out, “code green” and retreats to a catching position. The baby shoots
out of he mother inside the labor room like a canon and the doctor catches
the baby wearing a base ball mitt.
• This ad picturize that the father dew dude is a young boy in his
teens. in a way to portray the point 1 above.
• It also captures the fun part with the hilarious spot.
• However, it misses out on the universal appeal (the whole
labor plot would be perceived as a sensitive issue by the
conservative community).
• Also with the base ball glove it loses its generic nature , that it
cannot be displayed during a super bowl event. – Not short
listed

2. Bad Cheetah - In the African plain, one of the Dew dudes is chasing a
Cheetah. The Dew dude catches up to Cheetah, holds its mouth , put his hand
into the mouth and through to stomach and takes out an empty Dew can with
few holes. Apparently the Cheetah has stolen his Dew can and has even drank
it. The ad ends with a “Bad Cheetah” comment.
• This ad picturize that the daring personality of he Dew dude
that too in a naturistic rural back ground.
 • It also captures the fun part with the Dew dude taking the can
out of Cheetah’s stomach and warning the Cheetah.
• It has the universal appeal as the selection of Dew dudes (all 4
are shown at the end) themselves belonging to different ethnic
groups and the plot being a generic one dealing with African
wild life.
• However, the ad could be perceived as a predictable one, on
the similar ones that Montain Dew has been using based on X
games. But I still recommend this to be the number 1 in the
short list

3. Dew of Die – A hilarious plot where a villain plans to blow the planet. The
dew dudes are called in and in a sequence of daredevil maneuvers, they
accidentally save the world, powered by a spilt can of dew.
• This ad picturize that the daring personality of the dudes
simultaneously portraying them as funful and care free guys
• How ever the plot looks to be on the extreme side appealing
only to the kids and not to the teens or adults. So it does not
have he universal appeal
• Not short listed

4. Mock Opera - A parody of Queen song Bohemian Rhapsody. The ad portrays

he story of altered lyrics. Alternative sports action in which the athletes just
miss cans od dew as they shoot by
• This ad picturize the fun part, and has a universal appeal
through the opera plot. Also the message is communicated
through the lyrics. Hence short listed

5. Showstopper – Choreographed production number that mimics a Buzby

musical dance from 1930s. where the dancers are silver clad BMX riders and
skate boarders who performs for the dew dudes posing as directors.
• This ad picturize the fun part, and has a universal appeal
through the dance plot. Hence short listed