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Brand: Pepsi Max
Title: "For Life"
Agency: TBWA/Chiat/Day

Pepsi continues their attempt to get traction for Pepsi Max by dragging out Regis Philbin and the Coke Zero truck driver. Really? You spent your Super Bowl ad budget on this?

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Brand: Pepsi
Title: "King's Court"
Agency: TBWA/Chiat/Day

Elton John in a psychedelic, Alice in Wonderland-type sequence? Sure, that makes sense… and he pulls it off rather well. Of course, unless you were actually a viewer of Pepsi-sponsored The X-Factor, you probably wouldn't have known that the vocalist was last season's winner, Melanie Amaro.

For some reason, I actually liked Watto in The Phantom Menace. Sure, some of his lines were cheesy and his motivations where forced, but as a character, he was rather fun. Just like a cranky old guy who you just can't hate. Today, he starts on the #4 Watto Pepsi can, his huge nose just begging you to drink to high fructose corn syrup-y goodness.

During the 1999 Pepsi/Star Wars promotion, there were 8 different Pepsi cans represented (not including bonus versions). We've already taken a look at the first three: #1 Anakin Skywalker, #2 Sebulba, and #3 Qui-Gon Jinn. Again, it seems that the characters selected for the Pepsi-branded cans all involved something to do with the planet Tatooine.

Here's the official bio on this can:

Watto

A pudgy blue Toydarian, he runs a junk shop and love to be on the Podracers. But some days he is too shrewd for his own good.

The secret word found on the can was But.

Like other Pepsi cans in this series, the background color is blue with silver starts dotted throughout, standing behind the character image superimposed in black/white. Let's also not miss the big copyright blurb under the bio: "(C) Lucasfilms Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved."

"What, you think you're some kind of Jedi, waving your hand around like that? I'm a Toydarian. Mind tricks donnat work on me. Only Pepsi."

Mysterious and confusing. Well, that could be used to describe Episode 1 in general, but in this case we're going to apply that description to #3 Qui-Gon Jinn, who takes his place on a Pepsi can. Unfortunately, he also introduced the Star Wars world to things like "midi-chlorian count," so it's not all good.

During the 1999 promotion, there were 8 different Pepsi cans represented (not including bonus versions). We've already taken a look at the first two, #1 Anakin Skywalker and #2 Sebulba. With this third can, you can sense a pattern of "people who have to do with the planet Coruscant."

Here's the official bio on this can:

Qui-Gon Jinn

A compassionate Jedi Master, he is highly attuned to the Force. But he shuns consensus and follows his own path, despite the consequences.

The secret word found on the can was Breaks.

Like the rest of the Pepsi cans in this series, Qui-Gon's can has a blue background with a B/W image, accentuated by stars. In some ways, it's actually patriotic!

"Don't center on your anxieties, Obi-Wan. Keep your Pepsi can here and now, where it belongs."

We're back with the Pepsi brand as we move on to can #2 Sebulba. Other than being a podracer that cheats, we really didn't learn much more about him in The Phantom Menace. Well, other than the fact that he's a fan of the word 'Poodoo!'

During the 1999 promotion, there were 8 different Pepsi cans represented (not including bonus versions). We've already looked at the first one, #1 Anakin Skywalker.

Here's the official bio on this can:

Sebulba

The best Podracer on Tatooine, he is also the most feared. Victory for him is complete only when his opponents are destroyed.

The secret word found on the can was Lurks.

Once again, this can is primarily blue, given the Pepsi colors, with the artwork shown in black/white. The Star Wars: Episode 1: The Phantom Menace logo is situated directly under the Pepsi globe. And stars… lots of stars in the background.

"You won't walk away from this Pepsi can, you slave scum!"

Often remembered are the many iterations of the "Pepsi Cool Cans" that first appeared in 1990. However, one of the most hyped rollouts took place in 1999 with the promotion of Star Wars: Episode 1: The Phantom Menace.

Long before any of us realized what a trainwreck the Star Wars Prequels were going to be, resulting in Jar Jar Binks haunting our nightmares for eternity, the marketing gods thought that a new Star Wars film was a sure fire hit.

Now, I'm a Star Wars fan, but George Lucas completely lost it with these films. So painful to watch! However, we did get a pretty nifty set of special edition cans from PepsiCo that helped promote the movie.

At the time, I drove all over Chicago tracking down every one of the base set's 24 cans. There were some extra cans thrown in there as well, such as the Gold Yoda, and even unnumbered cans featuring Storm, the precursor to Sierra Mist. In the end, I ordered a special display rack that showcased all 24 cans.

Products included in this promotion included Pepsi (8 cans), Diet Pepsi (4 cans), Mountain Dew (8 cans), and Pepsi One (4 cans). The cans were numbered with the name and bio of a character in The Phantom Menace. Additionally, there were hidden words buried in the artwork on each can. If you collected every one of them, you could put all the words together to figure out a 'secret message'. I'll save you the trouble; here's what it was:

"Anakin breaks free but may face new enslavement"
"The Jedi triumph but their future is clouded"
"One menace is destroyed but another lurks nearby"

Anyway, I figured it would be fun here on BevReview if we ran a short-term series featuring these cans. Introducing "Phantom Phridays," where each Friday we showcase one of the cans featured as part of this Star Wars promotion.

Feel free to comment, praise or complain about the films, and/or deeply analyze the can designs if you'd like.

We kick things off with #1: Anakin Skywalker, featured on a can of Pepsi. His bio:

Anakin Skywalker

Caring and charismatic, this young slave finds that the key to unlocking his destiny is his own inner strength. But the path ahead is a clouded one.

The secret word found on the can was New.

There are so many words that could be used to describe Anakin, but this is a family-friendly site. But hey, doesn't he look great on that Pepsi can?

Tune in again next Friday as our Phantom Phridays tribute continues with another Star Wars Pepsi can!

As hinted in our January 7 story announcing the 4th return of Pepsi Throwback and Mountain Dew Throwback, on March 11 Pepsi announced via Facebook that the Throwbacks are shifting from limited time to permanent status.

(Source: Facebook)

Due to popular demand and the passionate support of our wall comments, we're thrilled to announce that Pepsi Throwback is here to stay! Throwback fans… your prayers have finally been answered (except for that awkward one you made back in high school)!

I followed up with Pepsi later in the day to confirm that Mountain Dew Throwback would also be part of this change.

It's been a long road since we first talked about this back in February 2009, but it looks like Throwback is finally here to stay! Great job in voicing your opinion, everyone!

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Other Throwback coverage on BevReview.com:

• Pepsi/Dew Throwbacks discovered via trademark filings (February 9, 2009)
• Unused prototype bottle designs leaked (February 19, 2009)
• Official Facts about Pepsi Throwback & Mountain Dew Throwback (February 26, 2009)
• Preview of another sugar-sweetened drink: Pepsi Natural (March 5, 2009)
• Review: Pepsi Natural (March 16, 2009)
• Review: Pepsi Throwback (April 17, 2009)
• Review: Mountain Dew Throwback (April 21, 2009)
• Tips in finding Pepsi and Mountain Dew Throwback? (April 21, 2009)
• NPR Interview with Steve Tanner about Pepsi Throwback (May 5, 2009)
• Pepsi, Dew Throwback to return in December for 8 weeks (August 10, 2009)
• New Mountain Dew Throwback Design (September 9, 2009)
• Pepsi Throwback, Mountain Dew Throwback December 2009 relaunch designs (November 27, 2009)
• Review: Pepsi Throwback (December 2009 Rerelease) (January 1, 2010)
• Review: Mountain Dew Throwback (December 2009 Rerelease) (January 6, 2010)
• Throwback Thirds: Pepsi, Dew Throwback to return for 3rd run in August for 5 weeks (June 16, 2010)
• News: Pepsi, Dew Throwback return in 2011 for 4th limited run, perhaps extended beyond 8 weeks (January 7, 2011)

We've previously reported on the history and speculation regarding the existence of this drink. In short, it's our feeling that Citrus Blast exists solely because both Pepsi and Coke lost distribution rights to Squirt in 2009-10, thus they needed a product to fill the caffeine-free, citrus niche. Coke already offers both Fanta Grapefruit (formerly Fanta Citrus or Citra) and sugar-free Fresca, but Pepsi did not have a comparable product already in the fold.

To solve this problem, it would appear that Pepsi spent a total of $51 on the development of Citrus Blast. $50 was given to an intern to steal the formula of Squirt from a bottler, while the final $1 was given to a low-bid designer to come up with the worst possible name and packaging graphics. Seriously, it looks like a cross between a floor cleaner and a generic Mountain Dew copycat from a local supermarket chain.

Our review bottle of Citrus Blast came in a standard 20 oz. plastic container, tinted green… just like Squirt. The primary color of the label is bright yellow, with the name of the product pronounced in red… just like Squirt. There are lime green accents, something that looks like a "juice drop," and the graphical interpretation of a grapefruit shape… just like Squirt. Even the font selection parallels the historic style of Squirt prior to its late 2010 redesign. It's pretty obvious where Pepsi got their inspiration. (As far as we know, there isn't a Ruby Red or Citrus Power flavor of Citrus Blast yet… give Pepsi 6 months to fire up the photocopier!)

Recent Squirt label designs

Crack open the bottle and you see a cloudy, white-colored beverage… yes, just like Squirt, but also comparable slightly with the likes of Mountain Dew White Out or Canfield's 50/50. You are greeted with a sweet scent that's faintly hinting of lemon, but also has a sharpness associated with the citrus fruits of Florida. Think grapefruit and oranges.

Given all of the comparisons we've made between Citrus Blast and Squirt, you probably are wondering about the taste, right? We tested the drinks side-by-side and believe it or not, they aren't exactly the same. The iconic Squirt flavor is sweet, citrusy, and has quite a bit of harsh bite that stings in the back of your throat. In contrast, while Citrus Blast also had the sweet, citrus flavor, it was considerably more smooth than Squirt. Less harsh, more drinkable in a casual context, even with food.

The flavor lingers a bit after your initial sip and then eventually fades away in a syrupy aftertaste (it is, after all, sweetened by high fructose corn syrup). Personally, I think this is a missed opportunity for Pepsi to really differentiate the drink vs. Squirt by using sugar, in the vein of Sierra Mist Natural, Pepsi Throwback, and Mountain Dew Throwback. But given the lack of effort they seemed to show in every other aspect of this drink's rollout, do you really think they cared that much about the taste or sweeteners?

Of course, as much grief as we are giving Pepsi for the Xeroxed nature of Citrus Blast, I must admit that it's not a bad tasting drink. Of course, I was already a fan of Squirt, and if you find yourself in that boat, you are going to like Citrus Blast. It's light, airy, and refreshing.

To be honest, the real gamechanger that this drink may be introducing is its artificially-sweetened sibling, Diet Citrus Blast. While Diet Squirt already exists, Pepsi's larger distribution footprint will probably enable Diet Citrus Blast to get a better foothold on the market where Diet Squirt cannot be found. That may be the biggest difference that this drink rollout brings.

So thumbs down to Pepsi for giving absolutely no innovative effort through this Citrus Blast introduction. But thumbs up for a decent tasting, mass marketed citrus drink… that's pretty much tastes like Squirt.

Citrus Blast
Carbonated water, high fructose corn syrup, citric acid, grapefruit juice concentrate, modified food starch, sodium citrate, sodium benzoate (preserves freshness), glycerol ester of rosin, natural flavor, potassium sorbate (preserves freshness), calcium disodium EDTA (to protect flavor)

A 20 oz bottle contains 240 calories, 110 mg sodium, 64 g carbs, and 64 g sugars.

For comparison…

Squirt
Carbonated water, high fructose corn syrup and contains 2% or less of: natural flavors, concentrated grapefruit juice, citric acid, modified food starch, sodium benzoate (preservative), ester gum, brominated vegetable oil, calcium disodium EDTA (preservative)

A 20 oz bottle contains 240 calories, 90 mg sodium, 64 g carbs, and 62 g sugars.

Pepsi is rolling out a new grapefruit-inspired beverage called Citrus Blast, apparently targeted at the likes of Coke's Fresca and Fanta Grapefruit, as well as Dr Pepper Snapple Group's Squirt.

Citrus Blast
(Source: Beverage Digest. Used with Permission)

Thanks to information provided by Salute to Soda and Beverage Digest, we know that it will be arriving soon.

Looking at filings with the US Patent and Trademark Office, there are some weird entries. For example, trademark requests for both "Citrus Blast" (#85192888) and "Diet Citrus Blast" (#85192887) were filed on December 8, 2010, but then "abandoned because the applicant filed an express abandonment" by December 14, 2010, just two days later. In this case, it was "PepsiCo Corporation" who applied for the trademarks.

The next day, December 9, 2010, these trademarks were once again applied for, again as "Citrus Blast" (#85193898) and "Diet Citrus Blast" (#85193906), with both proceeding along as being "Published for Opposition" on March 1, 2011. Here's the goofy part. For this second set of trademark filings, the owner is listed as "The Concentrate Manufacturing Company of Ireland Corporation, Ireland Corner House, 20 Parliament Street, Hamilton, Bermuda". Some research revealed that this is a wholly-owned subsidiary of PepsiCo, serving as "a worldwide supplier of ingredients and concentrates to bottling agents." Pepsi seems to use to them license flavors of their international brands and a couple odds and ends. For example, Manzanita Sol as well as their old Tava brand were trademarked through this subsidiary. They also seem to control the international, non-US trademarks of 7Up and 7Up Free via The Concentrate Manufacturing Company of Ireland.

This just makes you sort of wonder what's so different about Citrus Blast that they went this route of trademarking vs. using PepsiCo as the owner. Could there be international plans for Citrus Blast? Is there something going on regarding rights or ownership of that name that required a Bermuda holding company to be used. Maybe it's the name of an energy drink flavor elsewhere? The mysteries never cease!

You might wonder why Pepsi all of the sudden needed to have a grapefruit-type drink in its lineup to compete with the likes of Squirt. Well, it all goes back to 2009 when both Coke and Pepsi were on this kick to buy their largest bottlers and merge them into respective corporate cultures (The Pepsi Bottling Group and PepsiAmericas for Pepsi, Coca-Cola Enterprises for Coke). When that was taking place, both companies had to renegotiate with Dr Pepper Snapple Group for the rights to carry Dr Pepper and other drinks, since DPSU has relationships with those bottlers already.

In the end, what ended up happening is that both Pepsi and Coke paid Dr Pepper Snapple Group a ton of money to retain distribution rights for Dr Pepper in the territories where they previously handled the beverage. However, if you read the fine print, you also found that DPSU got some rights back as part of the deal. For example, Coke surrendered some rights to sell Squirt, Canada Dry, Schweppes and Cactus Cooler, while Pepsi surrendered Sunkist, Squirt, Vernors and Hawaiian Punch. Notice which drink is mentioned in both cases?

Yup, Squirt.

Thus, Citrus Blast seems to be Pepsi's way of fueling that niche since they no longer have the rights to distribute Squirt. At least, that would be my speculation.

Looking at the package design and the name itself, could they have gotten any more generic and boring? One look at that and you instantly think "knockoff store brand," not something from the same folks who brought you Mountain Dew. The fonts and style look like a mid-2000s Sierra Mist (anyone remember Sierra Mist Lemon Squeeze?), complimented by some cheap clip art. Even the name itself has "blah" written all over it. It's going to be interesting to see how they market this flavor, because you are already starting in a hole with a name and design like this.

Diet Citrus Blast
(Source: PepsiProductFacts.com)

Pepsi has some information available on their product facts website, which supports the label's proclamation that both the regular and diet versions will be caffeine free. The official description they provide is as follows:

A whole new twist on Citrus

A deliciously light, crisp and clean-tasting citrus soda with a splash of real grapefruit juice. The combination of bubbles and fresh citrus flavor makes this caffeine free beverage extra refreshing and thirst-quenching

The regular version via 20 oz bottle contains 240 calories, 110 mg sodium, 64 g carbs (and sugars), and overall features 1% "juice".

Citrus Blast
Carbonated water, high fructose corn syrup, citric acid, grapefruit juice concentrate, modified food starch, sodium citrate, sodium benzoate (preserves freshness), glycerol ester of rosin, natural flavor, potassium sorbate (preserves freshness), calcium disodium edta (to protect flavor)

Diet Citrus Blast, again in a 20 oz bottle, isn't zero cal, as it's listed as having 10 calories. Along with the use of grapefruit juice concentrate (1% juice), it will be sweetened by the popular combo of aspartame (177 mg) and acesulfame potassium (or Ace-K, 44 mg). It will also have 115 mg sodium, less than 1 g carbs (and sugars), and like the original, features 1% "juice".

Diet Citrus Blast
Carbonated water, citric acid, grapefruit juice concentrate, aspartame, modified food starch, sodium citrate, natural flavor, sodium benzoate (preserves freshness), pectin, glycerol ester of rosin, acesulfame potassium, potassium sorbate (preserves freshness), calcium disodium edta (to protect flavor)

Has anyone seen or tasted Citrus Blast yet? What do you know about the drink? Feel free to share in the comments or via Twitter and Facebook as we await more information!

(Photo by Tim Capper. Used by Permission.)

Financial Post noted: "PepsiCo Beverages Canada has brought its Pepsi Throwback to this country, some two years after the sugar-sweetened beverage was introduced for several limited runs in the U.S." It should be noted that Mountain Dew Throwback has not moved into Canada.

Have you seen Pepsi Throwback in Canada? Post your thoughts!