New Design: Hawaiian Punch (2011)

Taking a look at a 2010 bottle vs. 2011, the change is obvious. We've moved from a clip-art feel to a fully-rendered scene. The Wall Street Journal covered the change in a January 2011 article, noting that Dr Pepper Snapple Group is trying to "appeal more to the drink's target audience of 13-year-olds."

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Punchy: 2010 vs. 2011 Versions

One of these changes is implementing more of a CGI-style on the art. Again from the Journal, "'Punchy is very Hanna-Barbera,' said Jaxie Alt, Dr Pepper Snapple's vice president of juice and juice drinks, referring to the animation studio behind the "Flintstones" and "Scooby-Doo" cartoons. 'But we live in a Pixar world now.'"

Old Design: Hawaiian Punch (2010)

Additionally, the formula for the drink has changed, now adding sucralose to the high fructrose corn syrup sweetener. This change was designed to cut down on the calorie count. Here at BevReview, we didn't have a bottle of "old" Hawaiian Punch accessible, so we are unable to compare the taste changes. Interestingly enough, "panels of "flavor experts," as well as moms and teens, couldn't tell the difference between the new and old formulas," according to the Journal article. Frankly, we find that a little hard to believe with a straight face.

We're interested in seeing how these changes affect the broad array of Hawaiian Punch flavors that can be found regionally, beyond the core Fruit Juicy Red flavor. According to the official Hawaiian Punch website, those flavors currently include Lemon Berry Squeeze, Orange Ocean, Green Berry Rush, Polar Blast, Bodacious Berry, Berry Limeade Blast, Berry Bonkers, Berry Blue Typhoon, Lemonade, Lemon Lime Splash, Mango Passionfruit Squeeze, Mazin Melon Mix, Wild Purple Smash, and Fruit Juicy Red Light.

Apparently the brand has done well during the recession, which is why DPSG is putting more money behind it, as non-carbonated drinks are still in sales growth patterns while classic carbonated beverages decline.

Frankly, we find the design a bit too busy, as there are a lot of elements now in play on that label, including the logo, Punchy, fully-rendered ocean, bunches of fruits, etc. Many of these elements were present on the previous packaging design, but they were more clearly defined at a glance.

And for the record, we happen to be fans of Hanna-Barbera.

Even though the brand got some attention with a Super Bowl commercial, the redesigned look puts a larger emphasis on the word "Max", less so on Diet Pepsi. Also gone is the tagline "Invigorating Cola" and in its place… "Gingeng + Caffeine".

This is a smart move for Pepsi, in my opinion, as it helps the drink to really stand out. It needs to move beyond the realm of being a Diet Pepsi subbrand (which is odd anyway, since the formula is completely different, and frankly, better!)

In fact, this is what Coke did with Coke Zero… they have the Coke brand, the Diet Coke brand, and the Coke Zero brand (the "red/black/silver" strategy). Granted, it took them a couple tries to launch Zero correctly, and that may be the case with Diet Pepsi Max.

Along those lines is word that Pepsi will be renaming the beverage simply to "Pepsi Max" as part of their repositioning of products (and probably related to their massive losses this year.)

The Max brand is pretty much a no-brainer, as Pepsi already uses it around the world for their non-Pepsi/non-Diet Pepsi alternative line. They probably thought they could help launch it in the U.S. by tying it to Diet Pepsi, but that may have hurt it more than helped it. (One wonders what will happen to the oft-forgotten Pepsi One brand… I say just kill it already!)

With the redesign of the packaging on Diet Pepsi Max, it harkens back to the Diet Sprite/Diet Sprite Zero/Sprite Zero change that took place 2004-2006. Each iteration of the packaging change was setting the table for the next name. With the new look on Diet Pepsi Max, you can almost envision how easy it would be to remove the "Diet Pepsi" part and still have the brand strongly represented.

Pepsi needs to push Pepsi Max hard as their Coke Zero competitor. Coke has a huge advantage in this area (Zero has been doing great), and Pepsi has really botched the marketing and rollout of this drink, but if they want to see a product that maybe will help their declining carbonated soft drink sales in the long run, they need to get behind Max in a hurry.

Pepsi has released an official press release about the new beverage, mostly playing up the Halo 3 connection and the high caffeine content (as we noted they would). As I mentioned in the review, the emphasis with this rollout seems to be completely on the marketing and dollars following that vs. the drink itself.

Mountain Dew Game Fuel Lights Up the Beverage Aisle
Inspired by Microsoft's Xbox 360 Exclusive Title, Halo 3, Game Fuel Available Now Through November

PURCHASE, N.Y. – August 13, 2007 – Gamers anxiously awaiting the September 25 launch of Halo 3 will now have the perfect drink to get them ready for play – Mountain Dew Game Fuel. Created in conjunction with Microsoft's Xbox 360 exclusive title, Halo 3, Game Fuel has the same Mountain Dew flavor with a blast of citrus cherry and 30% more caffeine for a unique and invigorating taste. Game Fuel is arriving on store shelves today and will be available in 20-oz bottles, 2-liter bottles and 12-packs of 12-oz cans through November.

“This is the first time we've created a beverage for an entertainment property, in fact, we believe this is the first time a soft drink has been created specifically for a video game,” said Frank Cooper, VP of marketing for Mountain Dew. “Microsoft's Halo 3 is more than just a video game, it's become a cultural phenomenon that deserves its own special Mountain Dew extension.”

Mountain Dew Game Fuel will be supported with a marketing campaign led by a national TV commercial produced by BBDO New York. The TV ad debuts today and features a short clip from Halo 3. In addition, an online campaign directs consumers to the Game Fuel site – www.mountaindew.com/gamefuel – for more information on the product and Halo 3.

"The upcoming launch of Halo 3 promises to be the biggest entertainment event of the year," said Chris Di Cesare, director of creative marketing at Microsoft. "With Pepsi's launch of Game Fuel, we're seeing unprecedented support from one of the world's strongest consumer brands, and it's a testament to the strength of the Halo franchise."

About Halo 3
“Halo 3,” the final chapter in the groundbreaking “Halo” trilogy, is set to shatter day-one entertainment sales records when it is released worldwide beginning Tuesday, Sept. 25. Created by legendary developer Bungie Studios and exclusive to the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system, “Halo 3” will set a new standard for interactive storytelling and social gaming by engaging consumers worldwide in the epic battle of Master Chief™ to save humankind. In November 2004, the world's view of video games changed forever with the release of “Halo 2,” which generated a record-setting $125 million (U.S.) in sales within the first 24 hours and changed the way people think about interactive entertainment. Three years later, it remains the most-played game on Microsoft's Xbox LIVE® online gaming and entertainment network, with nearly 1 billion hours of online gaming logged to date.

About Mountain Dew
Mountain Dew is a product of the Purchase, N.Y.-based Pepsi-Cola North America (www.pepsi.com), the refreshment beverage unit of PepsiCo, Inc., in the United States and Canada. Pepsi-Cola North America's other 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: PepsiCo

Earlier this year, Coke launched a vitamin-enhanced version, Diet Coke Plus. Executives agree the soda isn't expected to be a top seller but they believe it will help revive interest in the Diet Coke trademark.

This quote was in the context of recent slumping sales of Diet Coke. It appears that Plus is on the scene to simply provide more "buzz" about Diet Coke, while sister brand Coca-Cola Zero seems to get all the hype these days.

Diet Pepsi MAX: "Wake Up, People!"
Source: Pepsi-Cola North America
6/25/2007

New Invigorating Cola with Ginseng and More Caffeine Hits Shelves this Week Survey Reveals the News Behind the Slump.

PURCHASE, NY – June 2007 – Americans are tired of being tired. According to a new survey commissioned by Diet Pepsi MAX, an invigorating zero-calorie cola with ginseng and more caffeine, 84 percent of Americans* experience a daily "afternoon slump." They're also having a tough time being discreet about it. More than half of respondents admit to yawning up to five times a day and another 86 percent believe that those yawns are contagious. Diet Pepsi MAX, which arrives on store shelves nationwide this week, plans to do something about it.

"It's evident that Americans are tired and could use an extra kick to help get them through the day," said Russell Weiner, VP, Colas, Pepsi-Cola North America. "Diet Pepsi MAX was designed to offer a great-tasting solution with a unique formula that invigorates the mind and body, preventing those ill-timed yawns from taking over."

The yawn is the focus of the advertising and marketing that supports Diet Pepsi MAX. The TV ads, created by BBDO New York, debut nationally today. The :15 and :30 spots, featuring the tag line, "Wake Up, People!," illustrate how Diet Pepsi MAX "stops the yawn," which can adversely affect both everyday activities and important moments, such as a job interview, a football game or even a wedding.

Additionally, Diet Pepsi MAX has launched a Web site, www.WakeUpPeople.com, which features a "Yawn-a-Thon," offering a humorous take on telethons. The site also provides the option to send a celebrity wake-up call to a friend from Ben Stein. The site was created by Tribal DDB.

Diet Pepsi MAX Survey
According to the survey commissioned by Diet Pepsi MAX (a national consumer poll of 1,102 adults conducted by Harris Interactive), one-third of Americans (31 percent) blame the workplace as the reason for their exhaustion. But America is also transforming the cause into the solution, because half of all survey respondents have caught someone asleep on the job, while 28 percent have confessed to falling asleep at work themselves. The most popular ways respondents overcome their slumps at work include walking around the office (58 percent) and consuming caffeinated beverages (52 percent). The survey also revealed the following:

• About one in five respondents (18 percent) has faked a yawn to get out of a conversation
• Nearly one in ten (8 percent) Americans has yawned while on a job interview
• Half (50 percent) of respondents say they've caught someone sleeping at work
• 54 percent of working Americans say they would take a nap at work to reinvigorate themselves in the afternoon if given permission by their supervisor
• One-third (32 percent) have admitted to yawning on a date
• Nearly one in ten (9 percent) Americans has had a bug fly into their mouth while yawning

Additional survey findings are available upon request.

Available in 20-ounce bottles, two-liter bottles, and 12-packs of 12-ounce cans, Diet Pepsi MAX is sweetened with a blend of aspartame and acesulfame potassium. Diet Pepsi MAX joins Pepsi-Cola North America's wide portfolio of 13 colas that includes caffeine-free, diet and flavored versions. The national rollout is supported by a full slate of advertising, marketing and in-store activity.

About Pepsi-Cola North America
Purchase, N.Y.-based Pepsi-Cola North America (www.pepsi.com) is the refreshment beverage unit of PepsiCo, Inc., in the United States and Canada. Its U.S. brands include Pepsi, Mountain Dew, 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.

About the Survey
This survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Interactive on behalf of Diet Pepsi MAX, between May 11 and May 22, among a nationally representative sample of 1,102 U.S. adults ages 18 and older and over-samples among 122 adults in Boston, 180 in Chicago, 179 in Los Angeles, 184 in New York City, and 110 in Washington DC.

Figures for age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, region, and household income were weighted where necessary to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population. Propensity score weighting was also used to adjust for respondents' propensity to be online.

With a pure probability sample of 1,102, one could say with a ninety-five percent probability that the overall national results would have a sampling error of +/- 5 percentage points. The five over-samples would have the following sample errors: Boston +/- 13 percentage points; Chicago +/- 11 percentage points; Los Angeles +/- 11 percentage points; New York City +/- 11 percentage points; Washington DC +/- 13 percentage points. Sampling error for data based on subsamples would be higher and would vary. However, that does not take other sources of error into account. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no theoretical sampling error can be calculated.

*For purposes of this study, Americans were defined as adults ages 18+.

With her permission (and degree in biology with a minor in chemistry), I'd like to share this explanation:

Your post compared HFCS with pure cane sugar, but I think there was still confusion about the differences. HFCS is produced from pure corn syrup by an enzymatic process which converts some of the glucose molecules that corn plants produce (their form of sugar) into fructose molecules (a different form of sugar).

Most HFCS's are actually a mixture of pure corn syrup (100% glucose) and HFCS, and the percentages of each vary depending on the desired use of the mixture. Sugar cane plants produce a different kind of sugar than corn does, namely sucrose. The difference is that glucose is a single 6-carbon ring, while sucrose is actually made up of two rings, one 6-carbon ring and one 5-carbon ring.

Your explanation of "inverted cane sugar" is on the money, and so your question about whether inverted cane sugar is better than HFCS is a valid one. The truth is, both fructose (the 5-carbon sugar) and glucose (the 6-carbon sugar) are cyclic hydrocarbons, and as a result, your body breaks them down in similar processes.

However, the sugar molecules that the human body manufactures for energy by its own processes (from things like the carbs we eat) are always glucose. Therefore, in humans, the metabolic path that breaks down glucose is more efficient than the one that breaks down fructose. Also, if I had to venture a guess, the Jones Soda people may have a few environmentally friendly types in their organization who understand that our addiction to all things corn is not healthy for our bodies, our economy, or our environment

Thanks again for the additional explanation, "Ali"!

Coca-Cola North America Announces Plans to Launch Diet Coke Plus™
Posted: 3/23/2007 11:25:01 AM

"Great Taste Has Its Benefits"

ATLANTA– March 23,2007 — Coca-Cola North America today announced it will launch Diet Coke Plus™, a sparkling, calorie-free beverage with vitamins and minerals. In addition to providing great, refreshing taste, Diet Coke Plus is a good source of vitamins B3, B6, and B12, and the minerals zinc and magnesium.

Diet Coke Plus will be available throughout the U.S. in April in retail stores where other Diet Coke products are sold.

"Consumers, including Diet Coke drinkers, are increasingly looking for more beverage options, and we wanted to offer them the convenience of a calorie-free beverage that is a good source of several essential vitamins and minerals, and one that delivers on the great taste that they have come to expect from us," said Katie Bayne, senior vice president, Coca-Cola Brands, Coca-Cola North America.

Each eight-ounce serving of Diet Coke Plus provides a good source of Niacin (vitamin B3), vitamins B6 and B12, zinc and magnesium (15% Daily Value [DV] for Niacin, B6 and B12, 10% DV for zinc and magnesium). Diet Coke Plus is the newest member of the Diet Coke family, which includes the flagship Diet Coke, Caffeine Free Diet Coke, Diet Coke with Lime, Diet Cherry Coke, and Diet Coke Sweetened with Splenda. Diet Coke lovers need not worry about their favorite sparkling beverage disappearing. "The millions of current Diet Coke devotees across America shouldn't be concerned – America's #1 diet sparkling beverage is staying just as it is," said Bayne.

The launch of Diet Coke Plus will be supported by an integrated marketing plan to drive awareness and trial. Introductory communications will carry the tagline "Great Taste Has Its Benefits" and will let consumers know that they now have another way to enjoy Diet Coke – one that tastes great and contains several essential vitamins and minerals.

To commemorate the launch of Diet Coke Plus, special limited edition 12-ounce "sleek cans" of Diet Coke Plus will be available at select retail locations in New York City and Los Angeles while supplies last. Diet Coke Plus will be available nationwide in a variety of packages, including 20-ounce PET, 12-ounce can-12 packs, and 12-ounce PET (trial package).

Source: Coca-Cola NA

You will recall that it was phased out at the end of 2005, replaced by Coke Black Cherry Vanilla (which is now being phased out!)

…The company also has plans for a Vanilla Coke Zero that will be rolled out with the reintroduction later this year of Vanilla Coke, which was put on "hiatus" in 2005 after sales plummeted.

Source

The style is very retro-1970s, which is an interesting departure for Coke. Also, by looking at the ingredient list, it's sweetened with a combination of aspartame and ace-K, which to my knowledge, hasn't been done with the Diet Coke brand yet.

I'm confused with all the new diet/zero flavors coming out.

Amy and I noted that "it's predominantly the traditional Dr Pepper flavor, however the aftertaste is noticeably different."

I took particular issue with the packaging, as "I felt the packaging could have been done a little differently…., given that the color and iconography almost too closely resemble the original. If I wasn't looking for it, I don't think I would have found this beverage, as it blends in too closely with regular Dr Pepper."

With the recent redesign of the packaging of Dr Pepper, first introduced with Dr Pepper Berries & Cream, the flagship and the latest flavor got new looks… but the middle child was forgotten… until now.

Cherry Vanilla Dr Pepper now showcases the same style as the rest of the Dr Pepper lineup, using the new logo along with the two-tone red and yellow pinstripes first introduced with the Cherry Vanilla flavor last year.

While I'm glad this drink got the design template applied to it, I'm still not sure if the look sets it apart enough from the flagship packaging. Even in the new style, they look awfully the same.