News to Me
I’ve been
attentively watching the changes in beverage labeling, marketing and product offers over the summer as beverage producers
continue their efforts to appeal to a broader audience.
From Pepsi announcing two new brand extensions to Aquafina’s new
advertising, at least one company is trying new things to rev up markets.
If you haven’t seen them, water marketers
have cleverly created scenes in which bar goers are ravishingly enjoying
rounds of, you guessed it, water instead of the expected beer, wine and
spirits. As a bottled water consumer, my first question when I saw the
campaign for the first time was ‘why didn’t they think of that
sooner?’ I haven’t seen advertising yet for the two Pepsi
offerings, but I can assume it’s going to provoke consumers to get
out and take a chance on the unique arrivals.
While manufacturers in the United States are picking
up on American trends and preferences, international producers are
capturing American profiles. For example, French wine producers are
reportedly changing labels to include the type of grape contained in each bottle. The move — expanding label characteristics
to comply with what American and New World producers provide — is
highly contrary to the historical placement of only the wine region on each
bottle of French wine. I can’t be sure that the move is purely to
appeal to American consumers, however France is anxious to get its wines
back into the hands of new age drinkers such as Americans who expect grape
varietal information. Regardless of the reasons, the results of the change
will be interesting to watch unfold.
Bordeaux moments
Amorous storytellers are being invited by the Bordeaux
Wine Council to share their most seductive Bordeaux moment for a chance to
win one luxury week for six — yes, you read that correctly, six
— in the preeminent chateau Bordeaux. With the thought that nothing
is more alluring than a glass of Bordeaux, willing scribes are asked to
submit their pithy tales in 75 words or less. The contest runs through
December and winners will be announced online in January 2005. Those with
tales to tell should check out Bordeaux.com for details.
Coke and a chip
Innocent promotion or spyware? The U.S. military is not
taking any chances that a summer Coke promotion, which uses custom-built
soda cans containing cell phone and global positioning technology to award
prizes, will compromise base security. CNN.com reported that some military
officials are worried the cans could be used to eavesdrop. While Coke says
the idea is absurd because the can used for the promotion is dramatically
different looking than your average Coke can, the military is erring on the
side of caution, asking soldiers to examine their Coke cans before bringing
them to classified meetings or restricted areas.
Snowman roadshow
The Nestea Cool Snowman is on a nationwide tour dubbed
“Cool to the Core.” A recent stop in New York City had the cool
dude and his Snow Bunnies cooling down parks and other hot spots in the Big
Apple. The Snowman and his entourage visited the Today Show, ESPN’s
Cold Pizza, Times Square and the South Street Seaport, bringing Nestea Cool
to visitors and natives alike. The Nestea initiative is targeted at 12- to
24-year-old males and continues through August in other U.S. cities.
Hitching a ride with Lance
Even before Lance Armstrong wore the yellow jersey as
he won his record-breaking sixth consecutive Tour de France, Coca-Cola
resigned its promotional deal with the cyclist for its Dasani water. The
relationship, which began in 2000, will now run through 2006. Terms of the
agreement were not revealed. Dasani’s summer promotions featured
Armstrong and his quest to win six.
Distillerieslive
Cable-television’s History Channel took reality
TV to a new level earlier this month with the launch of Modern Marvels:
Distilleries. The program explored the business of distilling spirits from
an artisan and scientific perspective. Top spirits experts shared their
expertise on how vodka, gin, tequila, Scotch, rum and Bourbon are produced.
If you missed this fascinating look into the business, check your local
listings for a second showing.