Bangkok--Apr 4--Shandwick International (Thailand) Coke Songkran E-splash ? The First Way to Throw Water over the Internet 'Virtual' & 'Viral' Innovative Greeting Aimed to Reach Up to One Million by Songkran With the number of internet users in Thailand growing rapidly, Coca-Cola has launched a unique way to send Songkran greetings by Internet, with the launch of an innovative and interactive flash card ? the Coke e-splash. The interactive card allows users to play water-throwing games with anime versions of girl band China Dolls ? the first such virtual water throwing in Thailand. The girl band's hit "Ni Tai Hsiao" plays while, depending on choices internet users make, the China Dolls end up either dry or soaked, while the user's own computer screen is virtually drenched. "It's a cool new way to wish your friends a great Songkran, especially if you're not able to throw water at them in person ? why not drench them virtually instead?" said Coca-Cola Group Brand Manager, Ms Arpaporn Samabhandhu. "Flash technology is very popular, so we hope local internet users enjoy e-splash and share it with their friends as part of their holiday fun." Indeed, within the first 48 hours, over 25,000 people had already checked out e-splash on the SodaMag.net web site forwarding it to friends by e-mail. Only afterwards, did SodaMag.net send out to 250,000 registered site members. Ms Arpaporn explained this innovative approach. "E-splash was launched 'virally', allowing people to discover it for themselves and share it with friends, who forward it on and on," she said. "At the Coke Music Hurricane launch alone, people sent e-splash to almost 3,000 friends. By Songkran, we expect that the greeting will reach up to one million users!" The Coca-Cola Songkran e-splash card comes in both English and Thai language versions and can be downloaded from the SodaMag.net web site (http://www.sodamag.net). In addition, 100 senders of the flash card from the web site will be randomly selected to win special Songkran prizes from Coca-Cola. The e-greeting reflects the music focus of Coca-Cola's Summer Songkran promotion. The China Dolls star as presenters in television commercials and special Songkran T-shirts, along with rock bands Fly and Loso. And together, the bands will perform at four free Songkran concerts around the country. "This year marks our biggest Songkran activity ever," said Ms. Arpaporn, "We're expecting around 100,000 people at each of the concerts in Bangkok, Korat, Chiangmai and Bang Saen. This together with our e-splash and Songkran promotional means that Coca-Cola is directly part of almost 3 million people's Songkran celebrations." Coke e-splash follows hot on the heels of the cokefootball website (http://www.cokefootball.mweb.co.th) launched in January this year. That site is already breaking Thailand Internet game records with its Coke Superleague game. "Cokefootball sets a tough act to follow, but we're confident that e-splash will be equally successful. Our own target is up to one million users, but perhaps we're being conservative ? the sky's the limit for this kind of viral campaign!" For further information, please contact: Duangkamon Isarapandh Communications Manger Coca-Cola (Thailand) Limited Tel: 955-0777 ext. 476 For more information, please contact: Shandwick International (Thailand) Tel: 257-0300 Fax: 257-0311 email: [email protected] End.-AN-