• Mountain Dew Distortion
• Mountain Dew White Out
• Mountain Dew Typhoon

Keep reading to learn more about DEWmocracy 2, the campaign to discover the next flavor of Mtn Dew!

Back in 2008, the folks at Mountain Dew launched what they called their DEWmocracy campaign, something we covered very closely here at BevReview. The end result was 3 flavors deployed in Summer 2008 — Mountain Dew Supernova, Mountain Dew Revolution, and Mountain Dew Voltage — and placed to a vote by fans, with Voltage winning in August 2008 (personally, we still think Revolution was the best option).

DEWmocracy is back!

The basis of that original DEWmocracy program was built around an online role playing game developed by WhittmanHart Interactive, which featured quests and other tasks with a storyline about an overbearing governmental with corporate control resulting in the loss of creativity. Eventually this translated into segmentation of the players into 3 clans to support the three flavors that had risen to the top.

That initial take on DEWmocracy was quite heavy-handed, in my opinion, for a result of 3 flavors that were probably predestined by PepsiCo from the start. All this fantasy storyline stuff, along with the lobbying for flavors… just funny. Don't get me wrong, anytime we can see some new flavors of a soft drink show up, we're all ears… but to think that the "regular folks" really had a say in what drinks were chosen overall is still hard to believe. Then again, we were stuck with Voltage, so what do we know? Sometimes, even though it seems like the "community engagement" thing to do, having the public determine your product doesn't always work out for the best. Just look at the names of minor league baseball teams across the country. Enough said. (If PepsiCo would just bring back Mountain Dew Pitch Black and Pitch Black 2, we could do away with all this DEWmocracy foolishness and actually get a good flavor — our opinion, of course!)

Pick a color
(Source: dewmocracymediahub.com)

The Dew folks must have thought enough of the idea to bring the concept back, and in 2009 we saw the DEWmocracy 2 campaign start up. This version had a substantially different approach (and most likely a much smaller dollar figure attached). This time around, it had a definite marketing research feel with the deployment of "Dew Labs", an invitation-only panel format that requested feedback, allowed you to participate in tasks, and again, employed a voting mechanism. I was a part of this panel, though spent most of my time passively observing to see how everyone else reacted to the experience.

It started with a traveling tour that allowed fans in 17 different cities the opportunity taste a variety of flavors, with a select few being mailed kits of drinks. From this sampling, 3 flavors were selected to advance: #231, #509, and #493. These code numbers were eventually assigned flavor descriptions and colors: Lime Blasted Dew (Deep Green), Punch of Tropical Dew (Cloudy Red), and Smooth Citrus Dew (White) accordingly.

These flavors need names
(Source: dewmocracymediahub.com)

Panelists were encouraged to join what Dew called "Flavor Nations," which led to the actual naming of the products. The names that were considered included the following:

#231 Lime Blasted Dew (Deep Green)

• Distortion
• Luminous
• Outburst

#509 Punch of Tropical Dew (Cloudy Red)

• Cyclone
• Hurricane
• Typhoon

#493 Smooth Citrus Dew (White)

• Flash
• Rainstorm
• White Out

Finally, and I'm quoting here, "Mountain Dew sent out a challenge to designers, art schools, artists and Dew fans to create a look for each flavor." Finally, this viral approach resulted in fan-made videos to help promote the individual flavors. Which brings us to the last phase, which is deploying the 3 flavors to market, having fans vote on them, and awarding a winner on Labor Day, September 6, 2010.

The Final 3
(Source: dewmocracymediahub.com)

We'll be taking a look at these 3 flavors via individual reviews soon, but to wrap up this overview of DEWmocracy 2, here's the official press release:

The Mountain Dew DEWmocracy 2 Campaign Empowers Brand Loyalists Nationwide to Create and Launch the Next New DEW
Fans Develop Marketing and Advertising Campaigns Supporting New Products

PURCHASE, N.Y., April 20, 2010 /PRNewswire — PepsiCo's Mountain Dew is once again tapping the collective intelligence of its most passionate consumers to help write a new chapter in the beverage's history and elevate the premier lifestyle brand to new heights. Beginning today, Mountain Dew will launch nationwide three new DEW flavor innovations – Mountain Dew(R) Distortion(TM), Mountain Dew(R) White Out(TM) and Mountain Dew(R) Typhoon(TM) – that were developed in partnership with consumers during the brand's DEWmocracy 2 campaign:

• Mountain Dew Distortion – DEW blasted with lime
• Mountain Dew Typhoon – DEW with a punch of tropical flavors
• Mountain Dew White Out – DEW infused with a smooth citrus taste

DEWmocracy 2, a seven-stage, 12-month, consumer-driven campaign launched in July 2009, enabled more than 4,000 of the DEW brand's most loyal fans, referred to as DEW Labs(TM) members, to co-create three new DEW beverages. Leveraging a variety of social media networks and tools, including Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, the brand and consumers collaborated on all areas of product development including flavor, color, name, and package design.

Mountain Dew Distortion
(Source: dewmocracymediahub.com)

DEW fans remain engaged as the three new DEW products begin hitting store shelves nationwide this month. In addition to having a role in creating the TV ads and online media planning and buying process, fans will lead the charge in grassroots initiatives that will drive awareness and trial of the new DEW products.

"DEWmocracy 2 has re-affirmed our belief that DEW consumers want a voice in and want to help shape the future of the Mountain Dew franchise," said Frank Cooper, senior vice president, chief consumer engagement officer, PepsiCo Americas Beverages. "By maintaining an open dialogue with our consumers through an intense, year-long collaborative project, we've offered them an opportunity to leave their imprint on a brand they truly love and have solidified an even stronger relationship with fans who matter most."

Let the Voting Begin: Three New Flavors Vie for a Place in History as the Next New DEW

The three contending Mountain Dew beverages will be on shelves for eight weeks through June 14, providing fans with the opportunity to taste each of the flavors and cast a vote for their favorite at www.dewmocracy.com. The winning flavor will become a member of the DEW family on Labor Day 2010.

Mountain Dew White Out
(Source: dewmocracymediahub.com)

During the voting phase, "Flavor Nations," comprised of DEW Labs members who are divided into three Nations supporting each of the new flavor innovation, will be campaigning for their favorite flavor to win the permanent spot. Starting May 1, members of each Flavor Nation, working with MTV Networks, will begin cross-country road tours, organizing skateboarding competitions, art exhibits inspired by DEW and samplings at concerts and sporting events, among other activities. Their goal: to rally friends, family and all DEW lovers to show their support by participating and posting photos and video content online, going online to vote for their favorite flavor, and engaging others to sample and vote.

Fan-Driven Ad and Marketing Campaigns

In the Fall of 2009, Mountain Dew invited ad agencies and individuals from across the country to submit 12-second video ads. Consumers voted on the spots they felt best captured the essence of the DEW brand, and the DEW Labs communities then selected their three winners: Crashtest Productions (Typhoon), Dewdadew (White Out) and Animaticmedia (Distortion).

Since January 2010, the advertising finalists have collaborated with the brand and individual Flavor Nations to develop the three 15-second television ad spots that will launch to support the three flavors on April 26.

>
Mountain Dew Typhoon
(Source: dewmocracymediahub.com)

For the first time in company history, consumers also have played an active role in shaping and influencing the paid media planning and buying process. Potential media partners, including some that were introduced to the brand by consumers, were required to pitch their proposals to DEW Labs members alongside the brand, again remaining true to the DEW brand's DNA of collaboration between brand and consumer. Online outlets, including The Onion, CollegeHumor, CraveOnline and Funny or Die, put together media proposals and videos for each Flavor Nation that showcased the culture of each online partner. The online DEWmocracy campaign will debut April 19, 2010.

Decision 2010

All three Mountain Dew flavors are available from April 19 through June 14, 2010, at mass, drug and retail outlets nationwide. This year's DEWmocracy 2 winner will join Mountain Dew(R) Voltage(TM), the latest addition to the Mountain Dew family. Mountain Dew Voltage won the DEWmocracy 1 campaign in 2008 that relied on an immersive story-based online game to develop a unique Mountain Dew beverage and saw more than 1 million people participate in the product creation and selection process.

Please visit www.dewmocracy.com to vote on your favorite DEWmocracy 2 flavor. The power is in your hands; let your voice be heard.

Source

Here on BevReview.com, we not only like to review beverages (it's sort of in our name), but also speculate and discuss trends & patterns we often see in the industry. We don't claim to be experts on the matter, but hopefully, we give you something to think about every now and then.

And while we've been reviewing beverages in various capacities since 2001, something interesting happened last week. Apparently, a company didn't like what we were doing and decided to send their lawyers our way. Fun stuff!

Here's the context… I received what appeared to be a legitimate message from a law firm last week, submitted via a web-based contact form attached to my personal discussion forums, TannerWorld Junction. (Without actual mail headers, we cannot confirm if this message is authentic, but we have our hunches.) The message was written in regard to a beverage review I wrote in March 2007 and posted on those forums, in a time before we formally launched BevReview.com.

Monster Energy
(Photo by Steve Tanner, March 2007)

The complaint referred to this review of Monster Energy — which can also be found cross-posted here on BevReview. Just so you know, Monster Energy is owned by Hansen Beverage Company. Read the original review for yourself and see what you think.

Original review via TannerWorld Junction
(Source: forums.tannerworld.com)

For those interested, here's the text of the complaint, received via e-mail on Wednesday, October 7 at 9:31 a.m.

Name:
Legal

E-mail Address:
Legal@ce-ip.com

Comments:

Re: Hansen Beverage Company Trademark Infringement

To Whom It May Concern:

As I am sure you are aware, Hansen Beverage Company ("Hansen") is responsible for the production of the Hansen brand juice, teas and energy drinks and the Monster brand energy drinks. Relative to this business, Hansen owns many valuable designs, trademarks, trade dress and copyrights, which it uses to identify and market its Hansen and Monster brand products ("the Hansen Marks"). The Hansen marks are of great value to Hansen, as they are used to indicate that goods or services are affiliated with and monitored by Hansen. Considering this, every time the Hansen marks appear in the marketplace, Hansen's good name and reputation are on the line.

Hansen Beverage Company
(Source: hansens.com)

Legally, it is the responsibility of trademark owners to protect and control the use of their trademarks. Often the need and obligation to protect its marks places Hansen in a very difficult position. If Hansen allows its marks to be used in any way that does not signify that Hansen is the source of good or service, then the value and meaning of Hansen marks are diminished. If Hansen allows these issues to go unaddressed, it may lose its rights to the Hansen marks.

Hansen is fully aware of the fact that it would not be as successful as it is without the continued passion and devotion of Hansen and Monster enthusiasts. However, the way in which Hansen allows its trademarks to be used is strictly prescribed by law. Hansen simply cannot allow the Hansen marks to be used without its explicit authorization. For this reason, Hansen is forced to consistently monitor the use of the Hansen marks or risk losing ownership of those marks.

Continental Enterprises
(Source: ce-ip.com)

Continental Enterprises ("Continental") has been engaged by Hansen to help control the use of its mark. You are receiving this letter because Continental has received information that you advertised and/or sold products bearing one or more of the Hansen marks, or confusingly similar derivations thereof. We understand that the inclusion of the Hansen marks on your product may have been an oversight. However, on behalf of Hansen, Continental must demand that you discontinue your advertisement and sale of these products.

Upon your receipt and review of this letter, please contact our offices so that we may work toward a resolution of the issue that is satisfactory to all parties involved.

Sincerely,
Darlene R. Seymour
General Counsel
1292 East 91st St.
Indianapolis, IN 46240

P 317.818.0523
F 317.566.2453

http://forums.tannerworld.com/showthread.php?t=8751

The firm sending the complaint is identified as Continental Enterprises, which according to their website, "is an intellectual property consulting firm that takes a novel and aggressive approach to brand protection and infringement issues."

After the initial shock wore off, along with questioning "is this for real?", I talked with some associates who run similar websites that also feature reviews. After some consultation, we decided to withhold a response, waiting to see if a second communication would arrive and/or to verify the authenticity of the original complaint.

Well, yesterday, another e-mail arrived in our Inbox, again through the same web contact form. This time it arrived at 1:48 p.m. on October 18:

Name:
Legal Dept

E-mail Address:
Legaldept@ce-ip.com

Comments:

Re: Hansen Beverage Company Intellectual Property

To Whom It May Concern:

I have yet to receive a response to my prior correspondence with you.

Hansen Beverage Company considers this a serious matter and, if you do not take immediate steps to resolve this issue, they will be forced to take more aggressive action to protect their intellectual property rights.

I await your immediate response.

This correspondence is being sent in an attempt to achieve a prompt and informal resolution of this matter, and is thus privileged.

Nothing contained in and/or omitted from this letter or any prior communications is intended to be or should be considered an admission of any fact or a waiver of any right or defense, all of which are expressly reserved.

Sincerely,
Darlene Seymour
General Counsel
1292 East 91st St.
Indianapolis, IN 46240
P 317.818.0523
F 317.566.2453

Link of violation: http://forums.tannerworld.com/showthread.php?t=8751

First of all, to the folks at Hansen and Monster Energy… what the heck? Ever hear of "fair use". I fail to see anything in my reviews that could be considered us having "advertised and/or sold products bearing one or more of the Hansen marks, or confusingly similar derivations thereof."

Of course, the more ironic part… Hansen Beverage Company has previously provided BevReview.com with samples of their beverages for the purposes of online review. Perhaps the marketing/PR department should talk to the legal folks!

What's your take on all this? Post in the comments!

Stevia rebaudiana flowers
(Source: Ethel Aardvark)

If you browse through the comments section on that piece, then it's obvious that there was discussion regarding whether these new sweeteners (Truvia and PureVia) are considered natural. I titled the news item using the phrase "artificial" which seemed to set some feedback in motion arguing against that notion.

Here are some excerpts from BevReview readers:

Stevia is a better sweetener than any other because its just an herb (although there may be something in the processing of it – turning it from brown to white – that will make it just as bad as the fake sugars).

- Charlene

I think the title of this piece may be a little misleading since as far as I am aware these new stevia based sweeteners being used by Coke and Pepsi (Truvia and PureVia) are natural sweeteners as opposed to being new artificial sweeteners. The 'natural' factor is their whole differentiating proposition and why there seems to be such a buzz around them at present.

- Sally

Why are you describing Reb A as artificial? It is a naturally extracted molecule (glycoside) from the Stevia plant in the same way that gingko extract is extracted from the gingko leaf. This is the whole point. The color change is because the extract is a clear liquid (like water) and then powderized naturally.

There will detailed coverage available within in the next few weeks of the extraction process and its social benefits. Coke and Pepsi wouldn't have invested major resources in another artificial sweetener just because it started life as a plant. Sucralose starts life as pharma grade sugar (which is itself and extract) . The difference is that Reb A remains clean, natural and safe.

- Angusf27

Now, I don't claim to be the expert on such things, so I figured I'd open this up to folks who may know more than me. Reading what I've linked to, what other folks are saying, and what you've read, would you consider these new sweeteners to be 'natural' or 'artificial'? Would you place it along side sugar, or would you group it with aspertame, Ace-K, and sucralose?

Is this another situation like the launch of the reformulated 7Up back in 2006 when they claimed that the drink was "Now 100% Natural" even though it used high fructose corn syrup (HFCS)? 7Up's parent company was sued over the claim and eventually changed the branding to "100% natural flavors".

Or are these Reb-A-based sweeteners actually the real deal? Maybe it just boils down to labeling and semantics regarding what is considered 'natural' or not.

I'd like to hear more from you, the BevReview readership. What are your thoughts on these new sweeteners? How about their potential for use in beverages, like Sprite Green and SoBe LifeWater? Are you looking forward to their introduction or is it a "ho hum" type of situation?

Comments are open. Share away!

(Also, want to share this story? Do me a favor and Digg it. Thanks!)

Last November, PepsiCo launched an interesting marketing campaign tied to their Mountain Dew brand. Titled "DEWmocracy", this initiative allowed customers to vote on the next flavor of Dew. Seems like a simple enough concept, but the execution was rather over the top.

The campaign was launched in phases, and at the time of this writing, is still taking place. The first phase involved the launch of a website (dewmocracy.com) that set the "story" for this whole endeavor. It's not your simple "vote in the poll for the drink you want" device. Instead, Pepsi decided to create a short film, roll out an online role playing game, and evoke social networking devices to push this idea through. The press release stated that "DEWmocracy is the first-ever interactive, story-based online game that will result in a consumer-generated beverage innovation." That's quite a wordy way to say "we're going to do marketing research online."

To pull this off, Pepsi and ad agency WhittmanHart Interactive tapped into actor/director Forest Whitaker to help craft the storyline. The entire adventure is setup up via a 3 minute short film that evokes overtones of Big Brother and overbearing governmental/corporate control. This has resulted in a loss of creativity.

However, as is the plotline in most of these types of stories, a "chosen one" rises up to rebel against this oppression. Here's the product twist… he seeks an elixir that will bring creativity and "restore the soul of mankind." Now if you move beyond the irony that PepsiCo is a huge multinational conglomerate and that Mountain Dew is a top 5 selling soft drink found pretty much everywhere, you can see the somewhat unique spin this campaign possesses.

With this sort of setting, a massive multi-player game was launched on the DEWmocracy site. It required you to setup a login, as you can customize your personal profile and attributes. You then end up going into these 7 "worlds" playing mini Flash-based games along the way, earning points.

As you do this, you select different attributes that you want in your ideal Mountain Dew beverage. Things like flavor, what sort of "boost" it contained, color, name, and logo design. Pepsi reported that the DEWmocracy site had over 700,000 unique visitors, with 200,000 registered users participating in the first phase of the game.

The second phase kicked off in January 2008 and narrowed down all the attributes to 3 final flavor options. Of course, the cynic in me points out that Pepsi probably had these 3 options picked from the start, and I wouldn't be surprised if they knew already which one of these products they will actually rollout. I mean, it's obvious that a corporate giant isn't going to give full control to potential customers. If they did, they might have another Crystal Pepsi or Pepsi Blue on their hands… and I'm sure they'd like to avoid that!

Before this entire DEWmocracy initiative started, PepsiCo did move to protect the trademarks on a whole bunch of Mountain Dew related names to be used for "soft drinks, and syrups and concentrates for making the same." These included:

• Mountain Dew Warrior (filed October 29, 2007)
• Mountain Dew Firestorm (filed October 29, 2007)
• Mountain Dew Hi-Res (filed October 29, 2007)
• Mountain Dew All-4-1 (filed October 29, 2007)
• Mountain Dew Force Field (filed November 1, 2007)
• Mountain Dew Colorfy (filed November 1, 2007)
• Mountain Dew Beta (filed November 1, 2007)
• Mountain Dew Voltage (filed November 5, 2007)
• Mountain Dew Resurgence (filed November 5, 2007)
• Mountain Dew Brain Storm (filed November 5, 2007)
• Mountain Dew Collaboration (filed November 5, 2007)
• Mountain Dew Revolution (filed November 8, 2007)
• Mountain Dew High Output (filed November 8, 2007)
• Mountain Dew Stimulus (filed November 8, 2007)
• Mountain Dew Reverb (filed November 8, 2007)
• Mountain Dew Kilo-Watt (filed November 8, 2007)
• Mountain Dew Rebellion (filed November 8, 2007)
• Mountain Dew Extended Play (filed November 8, 2007)
• Mountain Dew Culture Blend (filed November 8, 2007)
• Mountain Dew Visionary (filed November 8, 2007)
• Mountain Dew Supernova (filed November 8, 2007)
• Mountain Dew Discovery (filed November 8, 2007)

The whole gaming idea was obviously put in place to pseudo-connect with the core demographic of the brand, which in Dew's case, actually does involve quite a few online-savvy folks, males 12-36, and video game players (as evidenced by the limited edition Mountain Dew Game Fuel).

The whole Democracy experience can probably best be summarized as a big focus group… but Pepsi hoped folks didn't feel like that during the early parts of the game experience. Now that the second phase has rolled out, the DEWmocracy message boards (which seem to be pretty hands-off when it comes to moderation) feature an abundance of folks who feel "outraged" at the whole commercial aspect of the endeavor. It's an interesting social observation to see the creative game player clash with the structured marketing plan.

In the press revolving around the campaign, much was made of Pepsi targeting "Millennials", those in their late teens/early 20s, born between 1980 and 1995. This is evidenced by all "recruiting" tools that players are given to promote their favorite flavor on blogs, MySpace, and Facebook.

Pepsi also provided a discussion forum to create subcommunities around the brands along with general feedback on the game. When you have this type of situation, there tends to be a couple hyperaffilated fans who try to get things going with "flame wars" and insults on folks who picked a flavor different than their own. It's obvious that the marketing folks are trying to emulate the dynamics found in other roleplaying games like World of Warcraft. Unfortunately, I don't think they really have the critical mass of players to pull off that dynamic here.

What we have in the end are 3 "safe" flavors to vote on… with the promise that one will be selected as an official flavor in 2008. The "People's Dew", so to speak. DEWmocracy's FAQ does note you may be able to taste all 3 of these flavors over the summer:

Q: Is there a way I can actually taste the three new Mountain Dew drinks before the final vote?
A: As part of the move from a virtual gaming experience to a real world election, all three candidates – Mountain Dew Supernova, Mountain Dew Revolution, and Mountain Dew Voltage – will be made available on store shelves across the country this summer before the final vote. Seekers, recruiters and all Mountain Dew lovers in general will get to meet their creations face to face, and taste to taste, before casting a vote. After the election results are in, the ultimate winner, the People’s Dew, will remain on the store shelves and be officially recognized as an honored member of the Mountain Dew lineup.

In the end, those 3 finalists names were part of the above trademark filings and include:

Mountain Dew Voltage
Raspberry Citrus with Ginseng

Mountain Dew Supernova
Strawberry Melon with Ginseng

Mountain Dew Revolution
Wild Berry with Ginseng

Anyone find it amusing that out of all the possibilities, everyone voted to add ginseng to the new Dew? Like I said, Pepsi had to have the outcomes planned from the start, with the social voting mechanic slapped on to make a good marketing campaign. Case in point… last April, a product called Mountain Dew Clash was being test marketed. It seems to have a similar composition as the proposed Mountain Dew Revolution. Interesting!

In the end, you have 3 brand names (Voltage, Supernova, Revolution) which really mean nothing. They don't define a flavor or attribute, unlike say, Code Red or Pitch Black. They are generic placeholders for what will probably end up being a rather conservative choice in final flavor. But perhaps that's what the folks at Pepsi are really striving for in the end. They gave hyperfans some control over the experience, funneled that control into 3 seemingly preselected choices, and when the final vote anoints a winner, perhaps the actual name and flavor won't matter. Those invested in the process will purchase the product anyway because of their emotional involvement in the experience. It will probably have a big launch, then die off quick. Thus, I see the winning beverage being positioned as a "limited time" offering, which Pepsi has been quite fond of doing as of late (see Mountain Dew Game Fuel, Sierra Mist Lemon Squeeze, Pepsi Summer Mix, Pepsi Summer Mix, Mountain Dew Pitch Black, Mountain Dew Pitch Black II, Pepsi Holiday Spice, and Mountain Dew LiveWire… of course, LiveWire stuck around!)

Which Dew would you like to see win in the end?

Here are a couple of news stories about the DEWmocracy campaign. Let's start with the official press release from PepsiCo:

Forest Whitaker and Mountain Dew launch "DEWmocracy"

Giving Power to the People; Interactive Game Invites Consumers to Develop New Mountain Dew Product

PURCHASE, N.Y. – November 7, 2007 – Forest Whitaker and Mountain Dew have teamed up to develop "DEWmocracy" – a virtual world that will allow consumers to create the next Mountain Dew beverage online. DEWmocracy is the first-ever interactive, story-based online game that will result in a consumer-generated beverage innovation.

Consumers may now go to www.dewmocracy.com to enter the DEWmocracy experience that features a live-action short-film and an animated game featuring mystical 3D characters. The player's online journey includes various challenges that give them the tools to develop every aspect of a new Mountain Dew drink, including the color, flavor and label graphics.

Whitaker narrates the live-action video and developed all of the elements of the DEWmocracy experience, including the story, the live-action film, the animated characters, and game design.

"Mountain Dew offered me an amazing opportunity to create a mythic universe using all forms of storytelling that will allow those who participate to develop their product," said Forest Whitaker. "It has been a wonderfully creative experience and I was able to work with extremely talented artists. Ultimately, the drink will be on the street and in stores where you get to see it, touch it, taste it, drink it, make it a part of you; bringing you from the virtual world to the real world."

When players enter the game at www.dewmocracy.com, they are asked to select a drink flavor and will later join one of three teams that will develop different "candidates" for the next Mountain Dew line extension.

Each team will "campaign" for its beverage candidate. The winning Mountain Dew candidate will be decided by online votes, making the selection process a true "DEWmocracy."

"Our goal is to entertain, empower, and engage our consumers through DEWmocracy," said Frank Cooper, VP of marketing for Mountain Dew. "Dew consumers are some of the most passionate around and we know they'll be anxious to create a new product. We were fortunate to have Forest, one of the great creative minds of today, help us expand our brand and develop a product through a new model – story-based consumer innovation."

Whitaker worked with a range of partners, including Matti Leshem/Protagonist (developed initial DEWmocracy idea), Tony Bui (screenplay and narration writer), Syd Dutton/Illusion Arts (matte paintings, game environment drawings), Holmes Defender of the Faith (live action production), Anne-Marie Mackay (development producer and treatment writer), Ben Richards (character illustrations), Andrew Tucker (3D character animation), WhittmanHart Interactive, (game and web development) and Susan Zwerman (visual effects and animation producer).

About Mountain Dew
Mountain Dew is a product of Purchase, N.Y.-based Pepsi-Cola North America (www.pepsi.com), the refreshment beverage unit of PepsiCo, Inc., in the United States and Canada. In addition to Mountain Dew, Diet Mountain Dew, Mountain Dew Code Red, Mountain Dew LiveWire and AMP, its U.S. brands include Pepsi, Aquafina, Sierra Mist, IZZE, SoBe, Mug, Tropicana Twister Soda, Tropicana Juice Drinks, Dole and Ocean Spray single-serve juices. The company also makes and markets North America's best-selling ready-to-drink iced teas and coffees, respectively, via joint ventures with Lipton and Starbucks.

Source: Pepsi-Cola North America

And for a take from the advertising industry, coverage from Advertising Age:

Mountain Dew Makes MMO More Than Just a Game

'Dewmocracy' Draws 200,000 Registered Users in First Phase of Elaborate Plan to Choose New Flavor

By John Gaudiosi
January 28, 2008

NEW YORK (AdAge.com) — An anonymous hero rebels against the forces of uniformity and seeks an elixir that will change everything.

It sounds like a pilot for the Sci-Fi Channel or from a lost Marvel Comic. It's actually how Pepsi-Cola is describing its most ambitious foray into the branded-gaming space: a rich, massively multiplayer online game that supports an ever-expanding plan to let consumers choose the next flavor of Mountain Dew. It's no low-involvement proposition for consumers, which is why the marketer is cheered by early returns.

"The idea was based around the fact that we know consumers want to get more involved in creating their own content as well as developing their own products," said Frank Cooper, VP-marketing at Pepsi-Cola North America. "Our feeling was there was a way to bring gaming and Mountain Dew together in a story-based form. Here's a platform where consumers go through a story, play a game and through the process develop a product."

The MMO game was created in large part by Oscar winner Forest Whitaker and built by interactive agency WhittmanHart.

Mr. Cooper said the website, dewmocracy.com, has had 700,000 unique visitors, including 200,000 registered members who have played the game. The average time spent per gaming session is 28 minutes, he said.

"Those are great numbers, because we hadn't expected that many people to get involved in phase one of this campaign, which had an elaborate registration process and had a pretty significant game that required a time commitment," Mr. Cooper said. "With phase two, when the program comes out of the game and people begin to campaign and vote for the new flavor, that's the mainstream proposition that allows non-gamers and anyone to come in and vote in the Dewmocracy process. We expect a bigger leap in numbers for that."

Pepsi has expanded its original plans. Instead choosing one flavor that makes it to market, consumers in February will be able to choose three new flavors that will be put to a national taste test starting in July.

"That will give the consumers a chance to taste it, experience it, and we'll have a vote over the next eight to 10 weeks, and we'll pick the final product," Mr. Cooper said. The winning product will enter the market in November.

While the program will shift to viral voting and campaigning, the "Dewmocracy" game won't go away. Mr. Cooper said elements of the game will be populated across the web in smaller bites.

"If we get a significant reaction, we think there's an opportunity to expand this game into a broader online property," Mr. Cooper said. "We're seeking feedback from the consumer about what parts of the game they enjoy; is the story line resonating? And if it is, we do have plans to expand it into a long-term MMO."

Pepsi-Cola has a heritage of clearly aligning its Mountain Dew brand with gamers, males 12 to 36 who spend more of their free time playing video games than watching TV. And while adver-gaming previously has focused on simple, Flash-based, arcade-style games, such as the recent Taco Bell fighting game "Taco Fu," "Dewmocracy" explores a type of online connected game play that has exploded with both casual and hard-core gamers through the Blizzard Entertainment hit "World of Warcraft," which has more than 10 million paying subscribers.

Mr. Cooper believes what makes "Dewmocracy" unique is not the game itself but the fact that this story-based, interactive experience leads to product innovation that enters the real world in the form of a new drink.

"That's the leap that I think no one else has made yet," Mr. Cooper said.

I remember a few years ago when Disney rolled out the film Chicken Little. They were pitching it as their "first computer animated feature film". After some backlash at that statement — mainly in regards to the mention of the studio's actual first CGI film, 2000's Dinosaur, or discussion of the films released under the Pixar relationship — did Disney backpeddle and say that this was their first full-length, all CGI, all in-house film. Lots of disclaimers there, but their original intent was the same… to rewrite their history in CGI filmmaking. (After all, Dinosaur was a huge flop!)

I was reminded of that situation this morning when I read a press release from Cadbury Schweppes Americas Beverages, the parent company of the Dr Pepper brand. The release was discussing their latest line extension, Cherry Chocolate Diet Dr Pepper. What caught my eye were these claims:

This month, Cadbury Schweppes Americas Beverages is rolling out Cherry Chocolate Diet Dr Pepper, the third flavor extension in the brand's history.

Dr Pepper's first brand extension, Cherry Vanilla, launched in 2004 and was the company's most successful product introduction in more than a decade

So what's wrong with these claims? Maybe that they are, in fact, wrong!

Yes, it's true that Cherry Vanilla Dr Pepper did pretty well, especially its diet variant. Dr Pepper Berries & Cream also has its fans, though is nowhere near as successful at Cherry Vanilla. But Cherry Vanilla was not the first Dr Pepper flavor extension.

That honor goes to 2002's Red Fusion, a drink that the folks at Cadbury Schweppes probably want you to forget about. But as seen in this press release from May 2002, it really was the first:

When it is introduced to the American public in mid-July, Red Fusion will become the first new flavor addition to the Dr Pepper line-up in its 117-year history…

Red Fusion wasn't a bad drink. I kinda liked it. But it didn't go far enough when it came to adding flavor to Dr Pepper. Plus, it was poorly marketed, not really playing off the Dr Pepper name much. It was initially rolled out as a standalone brand, with only a little Dr Pepper logo featured on the packaging. It was discontinued in 2004 and faded from memory.

So I'd like to call out Cadbury Schweppes and their claim that Cherry Chocolate Diet Dr Pepper is the 3rd flavor extension of Dr Pepper. It's not. It's the 4th. Get your facts straight!

For those interested, here's the recent press release that prompted this commentary…

Dr Pepper Fans Give Thanks for New Cherry Chocolate Diet Dr Pepper

DALLAS, Nov. 21 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — This Thanksgiving, consumers are lining up for more than the latest electronics gadgets and Christmas gifts. They're packing their carts with Dr Pepper's newest offering: Cherry Chocolate Diet Dr Pepper.

This month, Cadbury Schweppes Americas Beverages is rolling out Cherry Chocolate Diet Dr Pepper, the third flavor extension in the brand's history. There's nothing diet about this delicious treat, which combines the great taste of Diet Dr Pepper with a sweet cherry dipped in luscious chocolate.

"Cherry Chocolate Diet Dr Pepper is the perfect indulgence for the holidays … zero calories, zero carbs, zero guilt, and all the flavor of Dr Pepper," said Andrew Springate, vice president of marketing for CSAB. "Based on consumer response, we expect Cherry Chocolate Diet Dr Pepper will have a strong and devoted following."

Cherry Chocolate Diet Dr Pepper is only available for a limited time. Dr Pepper's first brand extension, Cherry Vanilla, launched in 2004 and was the company's most successful product introduction in more than a decade, and was followed by the wildly popular Dr Pepper Berries & Cream.

Dr Pepper is a leading brand in the beverage portfolio of Plano, Texas- based Cadbury Schweppes Americas Beverages (CSAB), a subsidiary division of Cadbury Schweppes plc (NYSE: CSG). CSAB is one of the largest producers of teas, juices and soft drinks in the Americas with a brand portfolio that includes Dr Pepper, 7UP, Snapple, Mott's Apple Juice, RC Cola, A&W Root Beer, Sunkist, Canada Dry, Hawaiian Punch, Schweppes, Diet Rite, Clamato, Mr & Mrs T's Mixers, Rose's, Mistic, Yoo-hoo, Orangina, IBC, Stewart's, Nantucket Nectars and other well-known consumer brands. For additional information, visit http://www.cadburyschweppes.com/csab.

Source

Last year, Diet Coke was the #3 best selling soft drink, behind regular Coke and Pepsi. Farther down the Top 10 list you find that Caffeine Free Diet Coke also performed strong, coming in at #8. It's no argument that Diet Coke is a strong brand. Industry publication Beverage Digest reports that "the biggest trend last year was the accelerated growth of the diet sodas."

The editor feels that the diet category could actually surpass the regular soda category in about 12 to 15 years. That's pretty amazing. Based on those figures, it's no surprise that Coke seems to be rebranding many of their beverages to take advantage of the strong "Diet Coke" brand.

Part of this effort is moving products from a weaker brand to now sit below the strong Diet Coke brand. This is happening to both Diet Cherry Coke and Diet Vanilla Coke, which now become Diet Coke Cherry and Diet Coke Vanilla. In addition to this shift, Coke is color-classifying all of their diet drinks with a certain image scheme. We've seen hints of this with Coke with Lime and Diet Coke with Lemon already. But now it's becoming far more obvious. Each of Coke's 9 diet products seem to now reflect a certain color, highlighted in the banding on the label. Here's the breakdown of the products, with the colors and year of launch noted…

1982 – Diet Coke – White
1983 – Caffeine Free Diet Coke – White w/Gold
1986 – Diet Coke Cherry – Dark Red
2001 – Diet Coke with Lemon – Yellow
2002 – Diet Coke Vanilla – Beige
2004 – Diet Coke with Lime – Green
2004 – Coca-Cola C2 – Silver
2005 – Diet Coke Sweetened with Splenda – Blue
2005 – Coca-Cola Zero – Black

Now, while this branding of most of Coke's diet drinks under the "Diet Coke" banner may make marketing sense, I personally feel that the customer is going to be awfully confused. I mean, is a general person going to note the difference between Diet Coke and Diet Coke Sweetened with Splenda? What's the difference between Coca-Cola C2 and Coca-Cola Zero? Which products contain aspertame and which don't? Are there blends of artificial sweeteners being used?

Interestingly enough, part of what may be driving Diet Coke's new branding may be the success of Diet Rite, which has seen a resurgence in popularity. This is primarily due to the low-carb craze, which suddenly noticed Diet Rite's abundance of flavors, use of Splenda, lack of aspertame, and had no calories, sodium, or caffeine. I know my mom particularly enjoys this product from Cadbury Schweppes.

What's odd about Coke's decision-making here is that they will now have no less than 4 different diet cola formulations (if you factor in the regionally-available Tab). And frankly, it gets confusing!

Formulation #1: Tab
First, the oddball drink, Tab. This was the first diet drink made by Coke, released in 1963.

Initially sweetened by saccharin, the FDA later banned its use, which resulted in the drink being sweetened by aspertame. However, the ban was lifted in 1991 and Tab returned to its original saccharin formula. Some people prefer Tab because it does not have the same aftertaste that Diet Coke possesses.

Formulation #2: Diet Coke et al
Most folks don't know that Diet Coke isn't a diet version of Coca-Cola Classic. In actuality, it shares the same formula as New Coke/Coke II. Yup, it's true!

In the early 1980's, Coke was losing market share and discovered via research that customers preferred the sweeter taste of Pepsi. Thus, when they launched Diet Coke in 1982, the formula used aspertame (branded as NutraSweet) and was tweaked to be sweeter.

Later, the company took the Diet Coke formula, replaced the aspertame with high fructose corn syrup, and launched "New" Coke on April 23, 1985… creating one of the largest marketing and public relations debacles in history. Three months later, the original formula returned to the shelves as Coca-Cola Classic, while New Coke died off.

However, New Coke saw a rebirth in 1992 as "Coke II" until it was finally phased out in North America. Interestingly, that same New Coke-based formula is still used to this day and can be found in Diet Coke, Caffeine Free Diet Coke, Diet Coke Cherry, Diet Coke with Lemon, Diet Coke Vanilla, and Diet Coke with Lime.

Formulation #3: Coke C2
In 2004, Coke C2 rolled out with a formula that broke from the established Diet Coke tradition. This one used a blend of corn syrup and 3 sweeteners: aspertame, sucralose, and acesulfame potassium (also known as Ace-K).

It tasted nothing like Coke or Diet Coke. Frankly, it just tasted bad.

Formulation #4: Coke Zero
Introduced in 2005, Coke Zero is sweetened by both aspertame and Ace-K.

Interestingly, the formula is a diet version of the Coke Classic formula, whereas the formula for Diet Coke is actually a diet version of New Coke/Coke II, thus there is a big difference in taste.

Overall, I think this isn't a great marketing move by Coke. It causes lots of confusion to the customer. The diet beverage market is way too splintered, resulting in one version not dominating and most likely, failures of many of these new brands. Pepsi has already discontinued Pepsi Edge because of poor performance; Coke C2 can't be that far behind.

Will many Diet Coke drinkers decide to move over to Diet Coke Sweetened with Splenda? I think not. So who is the audience they are targeting there? As I mentioned in my review of that product, I think that this is just setting up a future formula change for Diet Coke. Non-Diet Coke drinkers who are looking for something that tastes like Coke probably aren't going to be satisfied with Coke Zero because of the aspertame content and resulting aftertaste. Perhaps a better idea would have been to just release a Splenda-sweetened version of the original Coca-Cola Classic formula. Keep it simple, for Pete's sake!

I think Pepsi got it right when it came to positioning their diet drinks. They left Diet Pepsi alone and instead introduced Pepsi Edge. Then they tweaked the pre-existing brand Pepsi One by removing the aspartame and Ace-K and replacing it with Splenda. That's it. It's simple. And I think the marketplace can figure all this out a lot easier.

Then again, I don't drink diet soft drinks, so who cares?