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The following article is excerpted with permission of Digital Media magazine.

Sprite Builds Mobile Site for New Drive

Sprite China has launched a new music-via-mobile initiative, which includes a joint promotion with McDonald's.

The 'Music In Every Sprite Bottle' campaign offers consumers free music content and other virtual products via the Sprite WAP site.

Pin-codes printed on the underside of Sprite bottle-caps can be keyed into the WAP site to allow consumers access to MP3s, ringtones, photos of celebrities, entertainment news, blogs, forums, and updates on the Sprite My Show talent show.

The community-oriented site features prominent interactive elements, including areas for user-generated content, which may in the future include video.

Sprite has worked with internet portal Sohu, digital media planning agency Isobar, and mobile advertising agency 21 Communications on the China campaign.

“The project is a sign that Coca-Cola is a leader in digital marketing in China,” said David Turchetti, CEO, 21 Communications. “This shows that the Coca-Cola Company understands the strategic value of the mobile medium as a crucial part of their marketing efforts,” he said. “They're ahead of the game in doing that.”

McDonald's, which is also going after a youth demographic through music, saw a natural fit with the promotion, advertising the program on the back of its menus and at the counters of its restaurants across the country.

Also, when diners purchase a McDonald's extra-value meal, they receive a scratch card with a pin-code that allows them access to the WAP site.

In a later stage of the promotion period, starting June and running until the end of the year, users will be able to receive discounts for McDonald's meals via m-coupons available on the WAP site. The coupons can then be redeemed with their mobile phones at McDonald's cashiers.
One of the advantages of the WAP drive is that it is very trackable. Every action at the site confirms a Sprite or McDonald's purchase, and consumer activity on the site can be monitored.

Sprite will soon launch an integrated campaign to draw attention to the WAP offer. The brand has a history of aligning itself with music drives in China, including initiatives such as the Sprite Music Chart and Sprite My Show.

Meanwhile, 21 Communications has recently been appointed 'master mobile agency' for Coca-Cola China to oversee its mobile ad business in the lead-up to the Beijing Olympics.