The Big Whinge

Motherfucker of a Launch

Coca Cola isn't satisfied with its last mauling trying to break into energy drinks in the Australian beverage market.

Here's the rollcall of the Ghosts of Launches Past: Lift Plus, Sprite Recharge, Burn, Vault...

So, introducing...another desperate attempt from Coca Cola to put its snout in the trough with established players Red Bull and V.

For a company with the revenue size of Coca Cola, you'd think they could hire some decent marketers.

But was it the fault of the marketers? Or was there a bit more than meets the eye?

Let's take a look at the Mother packaging. The graphics resemble a heavy metal tattoo - it screams 14 year old, slightly depressed and alienated boys with greasy hair, sprayed-on acid wash jeans, croming in the backshed.

But if you look more closely at the text on the can of Mother, there is a contrastingly hippie message. Mother promises to harness "a combination of nature's most potent energy boosters to give you a big, long lasting high". Sounds like something you'd find in a health food store.

Mother's ingredient list promises Açaí and guarana extract from the Amazon, as well as ginseng. Can't quite imagine this at a rave.

Did the marketers have a dual target strategy? Were they hedging their bets on two distinct consumer trends: energy and health? Is this brand nurturing or hard-ass?

Surely marketers have too much ego to want this stinker on their resume.

Smells like Senior Management wanting to have a bet each way to meet their Innovation targets, in having yet another shot at the energy drinks market. Appears they have missed the point entirely.

To successfully launch a brand or a product these days, you need to be single-minded about what you are offering your consumers.

Three reasons Mother will fail:

1. Energy is already dominated by Red Bull and V.

2. Mother's positioning is schizophrenic.

And just in case you missed the most important point:

3. Energy is already dominated by Red Bull and V. Coca Cola are at best, third to market.

posted by Yarravillean @ 8:51 PM