If you asked anyone in Scotland to tell you what the national soft drink is, the chances are they'd say Irn-bru. The sweet, sticky, orange fizz, made by A.G. Barr of Glasgow for more than a century, has for years held off stiff competition in the lucrative soft drinks market from multi-national rivals Pepsi and Coca Cola.
However, Irn-bru's supremacy as a national icon, which has served it well for decades in its print and television marketing campaigns, is under siege: Coca Cola launched a limited edition Homecoming Scotland Coke bottle featuring an iconic image of Robert Burns at Gleneagles yesterday.
The commemorative bottle was released with great fanfare by Coca Cola with the Scottish Nationalist Party leader and First Minister Alex Salmond.
"I'm delighted that Coca Cola are lending their support to
Scotland's Year of Homecoming with the production of this fantastic
limited edition bottle," said Salmond at the launch yesterday.
Salmond has no doubts about promoting Scotland's national bard on a symbol of Americana in this Year of Homecoming which celebrates, he says, "everything that makes Scotland unique."
"Andy Warhol
described the Coca Cola's contour bottle as 'the design icon of the
decade' but now that it is decorated with my 'Man of the Millennium' I
think its visual identity is even more significant," he said.
The First Minister called Coca Cola's
move "a huge vote of confidence in the pulling-power of Scotland's
Year of Homecoming."
This
is the first time an individual has been immortalised on a Coca-Cola
bottle, and that a design has been designated to one nation.
The
330ml glass Homecoming bottle will be stocked by all major wholesalers
and a number of hotel chains across the UK, including MacDonald Hotels,
Bercello, Radisson and Gleneagles, until the end of the year. Over 1
million bottles are expected to be produced.
Simon Baldry Vice President and General Manager of Coca Cola in Great Britain, said: "We are delighted to be supporting Scotland's Homecoming campaign by working with our Scottish customers to launch this limited edition bottle.
"This unique bottle and design creates opportunity for new marketing, promotions and display in stores to ensure that increased consumer awareness and excitement is created for this campaign."
The company employs over 400 people in Scotland, across the Manufacturing &
Distribution site at East Kilbride and sales and vending sites in East
Kilbride and Aberdeen.