Coke hits the streets for tea promo

Hong Kong - Coca Cola will give away 500,000 bottles of tea from its Authentic Tea House range over the next 10 days, as it aims to be the second largest player in the local ready-to-drink Chinese tea market.

Coke launched the Authentic Tea House range under its Nestea brand in August this year with an above-the-line campaign, but will now give the product away free to consumers around Kowloon, Central and the New Territories.

Karen So, Coca Cola GM for Hong Kong and Macau, said the massive sampling activity, which starts today (26 November), marks a major point of difference from the launch activity and aims to draw in new customers to try the tea beverages.

She would not give specific cost details, but said the overall marketing investment for the natural tea beverage since its August launch has reached an "eight digit figure".

Since 2005, the market for non-sweetened ready-to-drink Chinese tea beverages has recorded 50% growth each year, prompting Coke to enter this category in Hong Kong.

Vivian Ki, non-carbonated beverages marketing director at Coca Cola, said Authentic Tea House aims to grab the second largest market share in the ready-to-drink Chinese tea market locally.