Thaksin … fight! is the latest energy drink on the market. Sun Spark Beverage's general manager Nachpoan Supatana tells Sunday Xpress why they've named it that

Why did you call it Thaksin … fight!?

We've visited many shops in the North and the Northeast over the past two months. They say the slowdown in trade has them wondering when Thaksin Shinawatra will come back, and that made us wonder why we didn't launch a product to tap the grass roots, such as taxi-drivers, labourers and farmers.

They're our main target group. I certainly think that sort of person would go for it more than Mark 9, the nickname of Democrat party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva, or PM Samak Sundaravej.

It had to be something political, did it?

Oh yes! We did have alternatives, such as Udon or Payap Isaan. We thought about having several brands but decided it would cause too much confusion. Normally we'd avoid politics, but we are marketers, not politicians. It is a marketing gimmick, certainly, but if Thai Rak Thai could be successful by using marketing in politics, why shouldn't we by using politics in marketing?

Will Thaksin's return benefit your product?

I'll say! The whole point of marketing is how to tap the target groups in as short a time as possible. We think we've done it there: when he returns our brand will be in the public eye.

What sort of feedback have you had?

They love it in the North and the Northeast. We were surprised at it going down so well in Bangkok, though, with it being such a strong base of the Democrats.

I'll admit it's tough going in the South, though we have tried to tell them the drink has nothing to do with politics. We do have to sell it in the South, because a lot of Isaan people work there, and I think they'd buy it; the difficulty is getting people to stock it and distribute it there.

What sort of sales are you looking at?

We aim for 3 per cent to 5 per cent of the energy-drink market with a value of Bt1.4 billion. We think Thaksin ... fight! can survive the competition. We'll advertise it on television as a drink that will help develop the country.

XTRA

Cashing in

>> Thaksin … fight! aims to corner 3-5 per cent of the energy-drink market, earning Bt1.4 billion.

>> Thaksin … fight! was launched to tap the grass-roots market, including taxi-drivers, labourers and farmers.

>> Sun Spark Beverage believes Thaksin … fight! will become a hit when former PM Thaksin Shinawatra returns.