Virgin aims to put some fizz into its flat cola sales by redesigning the product for the first time since its launch four years ago.

 

The new look highlights the Virgin branding with a bolder, more prominent logo. The logo has also been rotated from a vertical to a horizontal position to make it more legible.

 

The new cans and bottles, created by Start Design, will hit the shelves over the next two weeks.

Virgin hopes the redesign will bring greater stand-out on supermarket shelves as the brand reasserts its ambitious launch proposition: to replace Pepsi as the number two cola drink.

 

The red background of the new can, behind the logo, features a collage of snapshots of staff and consumers from Virgin birthday parties.

 

Virgin also plans to use the packaging as a marketing medium. It has introduced a 'magazine' format, which will inform customers about new initiatives and promotions.

 

The cans will feature details about the Virgin Cola website, which includes a live chat room as well as the Virgin Cola Ticket Hotline.

 

The company claims that this format is a first in the soft drinks industry and that it will be developed further in time.

 

"Virgin Cola has changed everything on a can that legislation allows to be changed. For example, the boring 'Best served chilled' changes to 'Chill beyond reasonable doubt', and '330ml' is supported by the line 'We are mostly liquid'," said a company spokeswoman.

 

Virgin Cola's volume share of the UK cola take-home market is typically around 3.5% to 4% (ACNielsen).

 

Figures for the four weeks to October 3 show that Coca-Cola had a 54.9% share, Pepsi had 18.1%, own-label had 18% and Virgin Cola had 4.7%.