Football legend Pelé and rising star Oscar urge fans to stay thirsty with 100PLUS to reach their goals in tvc via J. Walter Thompson Malaysia

| | 4 Comments

Pele.jpg100PLUS, a sports drink that’s a household name in Malaysia, is forging ahead to take on ASEAN, with the help of football legend Pelé and rising football star Oscar.

Its “Stay Thirsty” campaign created by J. Walter Thompson Malaysia, which last month flew Pelé and Oscar to Kuala Lumpur to meet fans, began airing a rousing commercial on TV and YouTube last week, urging the public to keep striving for their dreams, and never to settle.

Football.jpg“Young people in the region have no shortage of ambition,” said Nicole Tan, Managing Director of J. Walter Thompson Malaysia. But sometimes, they give up too easily. “100 PLUS inspires them to keep going and that’s encapsulated in the line ‘The Great Stay Thirsty.'”

Pelé, 72, had recently singled out the Brazilian football star Oscar, 25, for praise in a newspaper article. But Pelé warned that the young man would need to work hard to fulfil his potential.

Seizing a chance to pair mentor and prodigy in an inspiring tale about the importance of literally keeping one’s eye on the ball, J. 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.

It was the first time the legend and the young star met.

Oscar.jpgThe 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,” Pele says in the voice-over. “But have you made history?” He proceeds to lob a can of 100PLUS to Oscar. The message: “Stay Thirsty.”

“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,” said Edwin Leong, Deputy Chairman/ECD of J. Walter Thompson Malaysia.

For 100PLUS, the “Stay Thirsty” campaign underscored the brand’s regional ambitions.

“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 Sdn. Bhd. “With the support of these international ambassadors, we are confident of taking the brand further as we expand our reach across the region. As exemplified by Pelé and Oscar, the path to greatness never stops!”

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.