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The makers of Ovaltine are stepping up efforts to overcome

children’s aversion to milk drinks with new advertising to promote a

cold, ready-to-drink variant.

Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO has produced the national TV campaign for the

version of Ovaltine Power which was launched by Novartis, Ovaltine’s

manufacturer, earlier this year.

Ovaltine Power, which is aimed at children aged between five and 12, is

intended to make hot milk more palatable and develop the Ovaltine brand

into a more potent competitor to SmithKline Beecham’s Horlicks.

The cold variant will compete directly against brands such as Dairy

Crest’s Frijj and MD Foods’ Gulp!, which spent pounds 1 million on

sponsorship of The X-Files on its recent return to Sky One.

The new initiative, which breaks nationally on Thursday, is spearheaded

by a 30-second ad featuring a schoolboy who is in detention.

When his teacher lets him go he notices a toy red car on a desk which he

spins on to its roof, while drinking the bottle of Ovaltine Power in his

bag.

Meanwhile, his teacher is astonished to find his red car flipped over

and spinning on its roof in the carpark. The action switches to show the

boy’s eyes glowing orange.

Simon Points, AMV’s board account director on the business, said: ’Since

its launch, the advertising has reflected the theme of empowerment, of

kids gaining control in an adult world.’

The film, which is supported by a poster campaign, was written by Simon

McQueen, art directed by David O’Sullivan and directed by Chris Dada for

Academy. Media buying and planning are by CIA Medianetwork.