Quwat Jabal set to capture the Omani population

The event was held at the Grand Hyatt Muscat and attended by Coca-Cola Middle East representatives and Omani Middle East car rally champion Hamed Al Wahaibi, who has been selected as Quwat Jabal's brand ambassador.

According to David Helou, General Manager of Al-Ahlia Gulf Line General, the Coca-Cola Company's bottling partner in Oman and the United Arab Emirates, the decision to launch the product in Oman before any other market in the region stems from the importance of the citrus segment within the carbonated soft drinks industry: 'Oman has the biggest citrus segment in the entire region with a 40% share of market. Quwat Jabal is also being launched firstly in Oman to highlight the importance of the Sultanate within our overall Middle East strategy.'

As to the motivation behind launching the product, Helou explained: 'We aim at providing Omani consumers with a refreshing new citrus carbonated soft drink to revitalize them as it contains real lemon and lime juice, and to help them keep their natural energy level up. The final product we have here today is a culmination of two years of successful testing of its concept, taste and the brand, which we are proud of.'

Helou then talked about the partnership with Hamed Al Wahaibi, the Omani rally driver with successes beyond the region: 'When it came to the best way of introducing Quwat Jabal in Oman, we explored the possibility of using a brand ambassador, who had to be someone with a strong local identity that also goes beyond the borders of Oman. Hamed Wahaibi is the best representative for our brand, as he has a very strong association with the local and regional community through his very successful achievements in the motor sport arena. Also, car rallying fits in well with Quwat Jabal's proposition of natural sustainable energy.'

Philippe Georgiou, Public Affairs and Communications Manager of Coca-Cola Middle East, then talked about the marketing campaign and strategy for Quwat Jabal. 'The name of the brand, the juice content, and the association with a sport that requires resilience, all contribute to delivering the brand proposition of sustained refreshment and energy. Quwat Jabal is an excellent differentiated product with an exciting, locally relevant marketing mix that will make it a big success,' stated Georgiou.

He went on to explain that the advertising plan for the launch of Quwat Jebal will basically be a front-loaded media campaign that uses local radio, local TV and outdoor advertising to address Omani locals. A sampling campaign and travelling road show will also support the advertising by reaching almost 200,000 Omanis.

As for the association with Al Wahaibi, Georgiou said: 'We opted for partnering with Hamed Al Whaibi due to the natural affinity between the brand proposition and Al Wahaibi's field of expertise and popularity. Al Wahaibi is the pride of the nation in Oman with all his key achievements and we are pleased to be able to support such a national symbol. It is important to remember that in his first year competing, Al Wahaibi won the Middle East Rally Championship for drivers in Group N cars, just as we are hoping that Quwat Jabal will soon be the number one citrus drink in the Omani market.'

On his part, Hamed Al Wahaibi expressed his delight about the partnership with Quwat Jabal: 'The support of Quwat Jabal will certainly contribute to the many successes I have achieved, as Quwat Jabal and I have many common values. My goal has always been to succeed within the motor sport industry and to reach number one, which is something I achieved in my first year. Having worked with the Coca-Cola teams over the past few months, let me tell you, they are definitely aiming at having Quwat Jabal be the number one citrus drink in Oman.

'The fact that my sport is one that is full of energy and excitement makes me blend well with Quwat Jabal which is set to revitalize people with its real lemon and lime juice and help keep their natural energy level up,' concluded Al Wahaibi.

Designed to portray the overall feeling of refreshment and energy, the Quwat Jabal packaging features a dynamic backdrop, while fruit visuals enhance the natural healthy imagery of the package. The product will be available in three different packages, which are: a glass bottle, a can, and a 2.25-liter plastic bottle. According to Coca-Cola, Quwat Jabal has already proven to be a success, as the first month's sales have exceeded expectations by five times.