(7 April 2006 2:00 pm)

MUMBAI: Coca-Cola India launches the Thums Up 'Taste The Thunder" brand campaign with Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar sporting a totally new 'Cool' look with a never say die attitude.

The TV commercial will unleash the charismatic Akshay Kumar sporting a dynamic, cool look complete with long hair, and a confident attitude. The Thums Up's Taste the Thunder campaign will air a 10 seconds teaser on 8 April and will go full steam with a 60 seconds ad on all channels from 9 April.

The campaign aims to encapsulate the newfound attitude of the Indian
male and his hunger for the impossible.

Shot in Cape Town, South Africa, on a mega budget and never-before scale involving the use of helicopters. The TVC begins with Akshay Kumar discovering that his bottle of Thums Up is empty. What follows is a captivating never-seen-before chase; the commercial portrays the indomitable masculine spirit, which drives him to go to any lengths to get a bottle of Thums Up.

The commercial was conceptualized by Sainath of Leo Burnett, and directed by ad whiz Ram Madhwani of Equinox films. The background music is composed by Vishal-Shekar.

According to Coca-Cola India VP Marketing Vikas Gupta, "The 'Thums Up Taste The Thunder' aims at portraying the achievement of every person's hidden yearning - to dare and subsequently win over the impossible, to set unbelievable targets and to have the power to accomplish ones dreams. And that is the yearning, which we see being driven with this Ad." He added, "Akshay's new look will add immensely to the visual extravaganza. The intent is to capture the whole experience of tasting thunder in a bottle of Thums Up."

The 2005 integrated brand act for Thums Up aptly titled - Hai Dum; exhorted men to explore their limits.

Come 2006, the "Thums Up Taste The Thunder" campaign sets the bar higher -the hunger for the impossible.

This mega scale film is a dramatic encapsulation of the brand's inspiration 'Taste The Thunder'. Shot by an international crew (led by Ram Madhwani), the commercial has used some of the latest and most modern technological support ever in the history of Indian advertising. Tricky aerial lighthouse shots without the use of motion control and special props - sand dunes and the light house of Capetown- makes the ad riveting.

The compelling visual drama portrays Akshay daring to do the impossible in his effort to quench his thirst in the manner he likes best - ie -with Thums Up. Cleverly, the ad communicates the mystical eternal promise of the brand (Thunder in a bottle).

Says Leo Burnett creative director Sainath Saraban said, "When we set out to create the new communication for Thums Up, the one thing that inspired us was, 'Taste the Thunder.'- a line of iconic proportions, that says everything about the brand. Thums Up as a brand celebrates the spirit that thrives on the hunger for the impossible. It is about being the leader of the pack and wearing the mantle lightly, having fun while at it."