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By Geoff Przekop
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Photo by Brian J. Morowczynski
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Last year proved difficult for soda companies. Sales were down 10.5 percent since
March 2001, according to ACNielsen. That’s in addition to a drop of 7 percent
the previous year.
To recapture the market, they have developed new drinks and are marketing them
to the youngest, hippest segment of the population. So how are they doing? Read
on.
Code Red Mountain Dew
Problem: In the age of extreme beverages like Red Bull and Jolt Cola, how do you
draw attention back to the strongest and most caffeinated of them all? Solution:
Pair a beverage with a crack-cocaine of carbonation with an advertising campaign
featuring extreme sports and twenty-somethings shouting witty, in-your-face slogans.
Effect: A resounding success, Code Red literally kicked off the recent soda phenomenon.
Pepsi Blue
Problem: How do you maintain a gigantic empire of snack food brands when your
beverages don’t seem to be selling well? Solution: Take a beverage that
has been distributed in other countries since 1996, call it new and launch it
here in the United States. Effect: Pepsi Blue is the company’s biggest attempt
at a Pepsi fad since Crystal Clear Pepsi. But it was quickly seen gracing clearance
bins at several local Target stores.
SoBe Mr. Green
Problem: How do you combine the pseudo health benefits of ginseng with an outright
sugar and caffeine orgy? Solution: Put some sunglasses on Mr. Green, the mascot
on the SoBe beverage labels, and make him look like he’s going to beat you
up if you look at him the wrong way. Effect: This has given SoBe an entirely new
market. Distributed by major PepsiCo. bottlers, this beverage is even available
in some 20-ounce bottle vending machines, and is scheduled to be sold in 2-liter
bottles and 24-packs.
Vanilla Coke
Problem: How do you introduce something new when your company is built on tradition
and any sort of flash ads or strange new concoctions are met with antagonism and
rejection (read Coke II)? Solution: Do what you know best: Deal out the nostalgia
like it’s its going out of style. Take one part classic recipe, add one
part TV campaign featuring “Sopranos”-style mischief, stir in a teaspoon
of artificial vanilla flavoring along with all the dewy-eyed 1950s soda-shop imagery
that it carries, and you get Vanilla Coke. Effect: Reuters reported in October
2002 that Coke had sold almost 60 million cases of Vanilla Coke and had attracted
7 million additional consumers to its already staggering numbers of Coke drinkers.
Vanilla Coke is single-handedly responsible for raising 24-pack case sales 5 percent
in North America.
Red Fusion
Problem: You’re the odd man out, Dr. Pepper. Mr. Pibb has been practicing
without a license for years now and you need to show people you can still operate.
Solution: Fuse in some new flavors but stay familiar. Effect: Dr. Pepper has successfully
broken into the fad soda market and has introduced a new, caffeinated 7-UP. 
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