When Coke Sings Pepsi's Tune

HERE they go again. After war on the banks of the Ganges during the Kumbh mela, spoofing and counterspoofing each other during the cricket season, and trading charges over dealer and employee hijackings, Coke and Pepsi are now embroiled in a plagiarisation dispute.

Pepsi and its agency HTA claim they were planning a mega campaign starring Sachin Tendulkar for which they'd roped in Mumbai filmmaker Pralhad Kakkar. Sachin would be shot in various places—from Mumbai's multi-layered dhobi ghats to the city's beaches—with the theme song Govinda (read Sachin) Ala Re, Aaa La... a classic film song that's become integral to Maharashtra's Janmash-tmi celebrations. But even before the first rough cut could be made, Kakkar and Pepsi officials claim they were startled to see a Coca Cola commercial with a similar tune—Ala Re Aaa La, Coca Cola—during the recent Diana Memorial cricket match at Lord's. And ironically, a match in which Sachin's bat blazed again.

"Sheer theft," is what Vibha Paul Rishi, PepsiCo's executive director (marketing), calls it. She and the HTA creative team have had to do serious last-minute firefighting to change the storyboard and add a new jingle—this time in two languages (Hindi and Hindi-Tamil mix)—for release next week. Losing—in the process—precious time and money. "What are they trying to do? Copying us and doing exactly what we do? And if this is a trend a multinational of Coke's stature is setting in the Indian market, then there is definite reason for concern," says Rishi. HTA has lodged a complaint against Coke's agency Chaitra Leo Burnett with the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) and the Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI).

Predictably, Coca Cola is unfazed. "They are making a laughing stock of themselves. Ala Re Ala is a part of Indian folklore and for Pepsi to claim to have conceived it is a joke. This song has already been used by Amul in its advertising. Our ad is part of our ongoing festival and music strategy," says Sanjiv Gupta, marketing director.

However, asks Sunil Gupta, vice president, HTA: "But then, what about the timing? All I can say that we are extremely sad that the competition between us has stooped to such a level. Of course, the flip side is that copying is the best form of flat-tery and we are pleased to see that Coca Cola is running out of ideas and copying whatever the market leader is doing."

But Coke pooh-poohs all this. "I'll tell you who's copying who and who's bothered about what the other does," says Rahul Dhawan, Coke's director of communications. "We had this Eat, Sleep, Drink campaign, and Pepsi immediately did a spoof. In March, we started giving one roll of Alpenliebe with Fanta, and next month a roll of Nutrine was being doled out with every Mirinda. We started offering one Wrigley's gum with Limca last month and the next thing we hear is a Boomer being given with Mirinda Lime. Where is the copy? Our campaign promotes the product...theirs promote the personality." AAAI sources feel that chances of a Pepsi victory appear remote.

But who, if at all, spilled the beans? Insiders say initial fingers were pointed at two HTA officials who joined Chaitra Leo Burnett sometime back. But one joined Chaitra early this year, and the other, who changed sides recently, was not handling Pepsi and would have had little inside knowledge about the brand's plans.

 Pepsi sources feel the leak could have happened at Doordarshan where the storyboard was submitted for clearance. The other theory is it could have happened from the production house or recording studios at Mumbai. "There are just two or three top class recording studios in Mumbai and a handful of classy cameramen. It's extremely difficult to maintain privacy. But if this is going to be the trend, we'll have to maintain that privacy in its strictest form," adds Rishi.

Market analysts agree on one point: tensions between the two Cola giants will be much more fierce in the Indian market and will continue for years to come. The subcontinent's market, estimated at 206 million cases and growing at 16 per cent a year, is one of the world's biggest growth areas for both. The two would do almost anything to grab consumer attention and an additional slice of this lucrative bazaar.

So if Coke is at the Kumbh Mela in Hardwar, Pepsi must be in Rishikesh. If Pepsi sponsors Durga Puja festivals in the country, Coke must have a counter-presence at the annual Dandiya. Coca Cola currently leads the table with a 54.7 per cent market-share followed by Pepsi's 40.4 per cent.

Watch out for the next round.