Dr Pepper takes on no-cal with low-cal sodas
Dr Pepper is going beyond its existing Dr Pepper TEN product to fully roll out 10-calorie versions of other soda brands in its family, like 7-Up and Sunkist. A handful of consumers have tried these products through test marketing in limited areas.
The expanded line of drinks from Dr Pepper Snapple Group is the latest example of a soft drink industry that has gotten far more complicated than just regular and diet. There are now categories in between, low-cal and mid-cal. It’s part of an attempt to stop the decline in carbonated soda as many drinkers opt for sports drinks, bottled water, juice and flavored water.
Low-cal or mid-cal drinks offer the prospect of a healthier option than regular soda, but a more full-flavored experience than zero-calorie beverages. Diet soda has historically gotten less interest from male drinkers, so many of the new low-calorie drinks aim to be more attractive to men.
Dr Pepper has taken this thinking perhaps as far as it can go, loading its advertising with bro imagery. One ad packs into 30 seconds: power tools, explosions, giant TVs and for good measure, a cowboy riding a mechanical shark. Bro skulls can be thick, the better to absorb celebratory headbutts. So to be absolutely positive the message gets through about a drink promising “10 manly calories,” the ads end with the tagline, “Dr Pepper 10. It’s not for women.”
The risk of this approach is pretty obvious.
“There’s a number of women as well that do not like the diet drinks,” says Joe Pawlak, executive vice president with the food consultancy Technomic. “They may be missing an opportunity to also attract women.”
Marketers know what bros know. If there are too many bros around, women disappear. These new low-cal drinks will target men and women, promising more flavor than diet drinks.
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