Cola battle fizzes as Coke and Pepsi step up ads

Coca-Cola and Pepsi have both increased their investment in out-of-home advertising in Ireland by about 60 per cent, according to the latest review of the market by specialists PML Group.

Coca-Cola was the eighth biggest out-of-home advertiser by display value in the first half of 2015, with its spending up 61.5 per cent, while Pepsi Co, in 15th place, boosted its spend on billboard, transport and other out- of-home advertisements by 58 per cent.

The two soft drinks rivals’ greater presence on Irish streets means soft drinks is now the seventh largest category of advertiser in the out-of-home market, ahead of films, media and quick-service restaurants.

The top 10 advertisers in the first half of 2015, which between them accounted for more than a quarter of ads by display value, were the usual suspects Diageo, McDonalds, Sky, Mondelez, Vodafone, UPC, Heineken, Coca-Cola, Warner Bros and VHI Healthcare, with Bank of Ireland, AIB, Unilever, Eircom and Pepsi Co rounding out the top 15.

Overall, the out-of-home market was running down a less-than-bubbly 2 per cent in the first half compared with the same period in 2014, but PML said the much fizzier second quarter pointed to improved investment in the second half.