Sports drink 100PLUS is taking on ASEAN, with the help of football legend Pelé and rising football star Oscar.
Its “Stay Thirsty” campaign, which last month flew Pelé and Oscar to Kuala Lumpur to meet fans, began airing a commercial on TV and YouTube last week, urging the public to keep striving for their dreams, and never to settle.
“Young people in the region have no shortage of ambition,” said Nicole Tan, managing director of J. Walter Thompson Malaysia. “100 PLUS inspires them to keep going and that’s encapsulated in the line ‘The Great Stay Thirsty,” Tan added.
Walter Thompson Malaysia and its sister company in London, the sports marketing firm PRISM, flew Pele and Oscar to Barcelona in March to shoot the ad that paired mentor, Pelé and prodigy, Oscar in an inspiring tale about the importance of literally keeping one’s eye on the ball.
The film depicts the meteoric rise of Oscar, cheered on by the roar of stadium crowds. As the euphoria builds, an unexpected visitor walks into the stadium – Pelé, the world’s greatest footballer.
“You’ve made the news,” Pelé, says in the voice-over. “But have you made history?”
He proceeds to lob a can of 100PLUS to Oscar. The message: “Stay Thirsty.”
For 100PLUS, the “Stay Thirsty” campaign underscored the brand’s regional ambitions.
The campaign included a live appearance in Kuala Lumpur by Pele and Oscar on May 29 produced by Milk PR, with live streaming and digital support by Mitosis. The 30 second-ads on TV and 55-second ads on YouTube began airing June 1. The YouTube film has gotten over 1.6 million views since its launch.
“100PLUS has not only dominated the isotonic market over the past 30 years, but has since become the nation’s favourite drink,” said Khalid Alvi, managing director of F&N Beverages marketing. “With the support of these international ambassadors, we are confident of taking the brand further as we expand our reach across the region,” Alvi said.
Edwin Leong, deputy chairman/ECD of J. Walter Thompson Malaysia, said, “The idea of a legend calling out a star, though simple enough, was a challenge to execute. Matching Pele’s busy schedule and Oscar’s fixtures in the EPL (English Premier League) was hell. We had one day to make it work after months of planning. It was a full, exhausting but exhilarating day.”
*Pele die at 82 on 29 Dec 2022.