7 UP was introduced in the mid 50s in the Philippine by
Pepsi-Cola Bottlers Philippines. The
name, they say, was derived from its “7 natural flavors blended into a savory, flavory drink with a real wallop.” Predictably, 7 UP was advertised as a
pick-upper, with crisp lemon-lime flavor that refreshes and lifts spirits up.
It targetted the active family and came up with the 1952 slogan “The Fresh Up Family Drink”, to replace the earlier “You Like It, It Likes
You”. Later variations were also used like
“Fresh Up with 7 UP”,”Nothing Does it Like 7 UP”. Advertising for 7 UP began in
the Philippines in 1955, with print ads that simply copied the original U.S.
version.
7 UP was drank by older people because they believe it was
less gassy than cola drinks, and therefore less stomach-upsetting. This
‘medicinal’ image was considered uncool by the younger set. Not even the teen
campaign the product launched in the sixties—and which was adapted in the
Philippines-- could make its image more contemporary.
Then in 1967, its advertising agency, J. Walter Thompson conceived
of a campaign that celebrated the uniqueness of 7 UP against cola-based drinks.
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| 7 UP 'UNCOLA' LOCAL PRINT AD, 1970 |
The UNCOLA Campaign sought to promote the idea of the fact that the product is
not made from cola nuts, a differentiating angle that resonated with young
people at the threshold of the so-called
“Me decade”, which described a new
attitude of Americans towards individualism.
The UNCOLA Campaign was rolled out in 1968 and ran through
the 70s in the U.S. with many memorable ads for TV and print. The campaign
doubled sales for the product and by 1972, 7 UP ranked as the third largest
soda marketer behind Coke and Pepsi.
 |
| THE UNCOLA, drawn in psychedelic style, 1970 |
 |
| UNCOLA Print Series, 1970 |
The eye-popping executions capitalized on the psychedelia
craze, with fantastic, graphic illustrations rendered in bright, vibrant
colors-- an artistic style popularized by the artist Peter Max.
 |
| 7 UP UNCOLA-SPONSORED DANCE EVENT, 1972. |
There were pop art poster giveaways, UNCOLA upside down glasses, and psychedelic dance
parties that magnified the campaign in the stores and on-ground.
Suddenly, 7 UP was a
hip, with-it brand again. The UNCOLA TV commercials aired here included two
versions, one of which became a global hit, and made a star out of its
presenter. The JWT-produced TV commercial--which was aired on Philippine TV in 1972-- starred actor, director and choreographer Geoffrey
Holder as a Caribbean planter explaining the difference between cola nuts and
7 UP's "uncola nuts," lemon and lime.
WATCH 7 UP's 'UNCOLA" TVC HERE:
Holder’s performance was so well-remembered that he was
signed on to do more versions of the same campaign.
Another UNCOLA Ad was a product-the-hero ad scored with a
jingle noted for its sheer lyrical strength. The jingle wasn’t just selling fizzy beverages twelve ounces at
a time, it was singing praises to a way of life that challenged all
conventions.
The 7 UP UNCOLA Campaign had a good run, but the succeeding
initiatives—including its Fido Dido “Cool to be Clear” ad, did not do much to
stop the increase of the share of its primary competitor—Sprite—throughout the
‘90s. By 1998, the 7 UP bottle underwent a design face-lift, which dropped the term
"Uncola" from the soda's packaging.
And there goes a piece of advertising history.
SOURCES:
From Uncool to Uncola: The Fabulous Psychedelic 7 UP Ads 1969-1973.
http://flashbak.com/when-7up-was-cool-the-uncola-ad-campaign-1969-1973-27578/
The Uncola's Unclever Ad Campaign:
http://archive.fortune.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/1998/12/07/252125/index.htm
Uncola: The Video History of a 7 UP Breakthrough Ad
http://adage.com/article/news/uncola-video-history-a-7up-breakthrough-ad/116484/
youtube, 7UP "THE UNCOLA", uploaded by videoblast, 26 November 2008.
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