The cola war: Now between Coca-Cola and Bigi

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Until recently, the struggle for the control of the  huge Nigerian Cola market was principally between Nigerian Bottling Company Plc’s Coca-Cola, otherwise known as Coke and the 7up bottling Company’s 7up and other pretenders like Limca et al.

The two carbonated drinks did everything under the sun including raffle draws and creative TV commercials to win the loyalty of Nigerians in love with Cola drinks. They used a combination of music and sports to promote their brands. The promotion was intense. That was how it was until a few years ago when another carbonated drink, Bigi, sauntered into the market and threatening to seize it; especially in Lagos and other parts of the South West states. It became ever present and popular in the basins of the ubiquitous, itinerant hawkers at the bus stops and in Lagos sunny traffic.

How the producers did it is not the full subject of this piece suffice to say that  certain factors might have made it easy for the proudly Nigerian drink to make it. And some of them are.

The hawkers factor.

The fact that it came in various flavours and colours; with the one in brown colour looking more like Coke and a consumer would have almost  gulped  half bottle before realising that what he/she is drinking is not Coca-Cola but Bigi.

The shape and size of the bottle ; and then the clincher. The price. Just a naira while the small sized bottled coke sells for N50, the big  plastic bottle that is as big as Bigi, goes for N150, as expected most consumers go for the cheaper Cola drink, With the price and size of content, the difference becomes clear,

No doubt, with a combination of the above factors, Bigi, has disrupted the Cola market in Nigeria, thereby giving Coke and 7up a run for their money but for how long?  Only time will  tell if the wholly bottled Nigerian drink will stand the test of time and not fizzle out like the others before it.

By AFAM AFAM

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