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Coca-Cola to push Coke Zero

If you had put money on the fact that Coke Zero would have fallen flat by now, as so many other remakes of favorite colas have in the past, there is a good chance that you would have lost your bet. Coca-Cola is planning to give the zero-calorie brand a big push this year to raise its profile and to try and make the brand a standard choice for cola drinkers ("[build] it into the next mega-brand," according to a company memo), not just an alternative to Coca Cola Classic.

The first part o the strategy is to sink a lot of money into the advertising budget. Coke is planning to spend $13 million on advertising during, and at, NCAA games alone, since its target audience is men up to age 45 or so who want a zero-calorie drink without the perceived girliness of Diet Coke. The company is also planning black packaging, football sponsorships and TV ads on "24" and MTV. To show exacty how serious they are about the brand, Coke is also actively recruiting restaurants to make Coke Zero a part of their soda fountain lineup. Wendy's and White Castle are two that have already agreed.

Source

Filed Under: Business, Light Food, Drink Recipes, New Products
Tags: advertising, business, coca cola, coke, coke zero, colas, diet, drink, drinks, light food, pop, soda, sodas, soft drinks, zero

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Reader comments (Page 1 of 8)

Foodie Bride

1-08-2007 @4:12PM Foodie Bride said... If they want to hit the big time with new drinkers, they need to get Jack Bauer to throw one back in the season premiere.
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JT

1-09-2007 @8:54AM JT said... I'm sorry but I was not aware of the girliness of the diet coke: at least here in Europe, I can't feel it. As for Coke Zero, it tastes more like the regular coke, that's why I hate it. Sticking to the good old diet coke, and still no man boobs. Go figure.
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peggy

1-09-2007 @12:14AM peggy said... i love coke zero already, but have a hard time finding it, especially on fountains. i hope they make a big push into that area!
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Guy

1-08-2007 @12:01PM Guy said... THANK YOU COKE GODS!!! I was wondering and hoping that they would deem us Coke Zero fans worthy of wonderful soda-fountainness!
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Jonny Quest

1-08-2007 @4:31PM Jonny Quest said... Coke Zero tastes like crap. I cannot believe they are going to put more money behind this turkey. With all the hype, I had high hopes, but man it's the worst tasting stuff ever. Far worse than Diet Coke. YUCK!
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Vesna Vuynovich Kovach

1-08-2007 @4:06PM Vesna Vuynovich Kovach said... I still don't get how this is different from Diet Coke. Anyone?
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DaMan

1-09-2007 @1:12AM DaMan said... Coke Zero does taste better than most of the diet colas. Coke with Splenda tastes awful.

Maybe it's time for a Smashing Pumpkins reunion for a commercial featuring their song "Zero"?
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Jennifer

1-08-2007 @3:22PM Jennifer said... We LOVE Coke Zero at my house!!! I hope they make it more available( fountains, 2 liter bottles) as well.
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Joe

1-08-2007 @3:04PM Joe said... They had me at 'without the perceived girliness of Diet Coke."
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Steven Andrew Miller

1-08-2007 @3:56PM Steven Andrew Miller said... I can't stand Diet Coke, or any other "Diet" Soda for that matter. And while I love a Coke classic, it is just too much sugar. If they get rid of Coke Zero I will be going back to no soda whatsoever.
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Jonny Quest

1-09-2007 @10:23AM Jonny Quest said... Mr. Miller: I felt like you did -- could not stand diet drinks. I'd drink a LOT of soda -- maybe 3 - 4 liters per day (mostly Cherry Coke). For a variety of reasons, I've switched to diet only sodas, and I can tell you that as an affirmed diet drink hater, there are great choices out there. Diet Dr Pepper, when very cold, is almost indistinguishable from regular. Diet Mtn Dew, and esp diet Code Red, are very tasty. There are a variety of sugar free lemonade drinks, esp. Tropicana that are very tasty. Also the diet Tropicana Orange is so good you can't believe it's diet. Sprite Zero and Sierra Mist Free are good too.

You have choices -- some very very good choices, believe me.
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Heather

1-10-2007 @4:51PM Heather said... I am a Coca-Cola addict. Seriously. For example, fountain Coke is better than bottled is better than canned. And, McDonald's fountain coke is better than all coke, followed by coke at a bar, if it is mixed correctly. So, any alteration to me is usually distinguishable. But, with Coke Zero coming to fountains near me, I may have to give it another go.

Oh, and in case anyone wonders, I know the evils of actual soda. But, it’s the one vice I can’t shake.

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Maryann

1-12-2007 @2:46PM Maryann said... I also think that Coke Zero tastes like crap... Stick with the original...
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Langley

1-12-2007 @2:10PM Langley said... Coke zero has a tangier taste, and is not as artificially sweet as diet coke. it is much more refreshing. I prefer it to all other sodas.
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Jenn

1-12-2007 @2:24PM Jenn said... Coke Zero is awful. To me, it tastes like warm, flat Coke...even when it's chilled. I'll take Diet Coke, or even Coca-Cola Classic, any day. Why they insist on pushing this stuff, I don't know.
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mya

1-12-2007 @3:58PM mya said... Doesn't anybody drink water anymore?
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Ron S

1-12-2007 @10:05PM Ron S said... To affirm Jonny Quest's remarks. Diet Tropicana Orangeade is great. The absolute best diet soft drink I've ever tasted. Diet Cherry Pepsi is also pretty good, as it the diet versions of both Coke and Pepsi.

Unfortunately, I don't agree with his comments about Diet Mt. Dew or Diet Dr. Pepper.

BTW...I don't drink 2-3 litres per day, but rather 4- or 5-16oz bottes per week, so my preferences certainly are of zero interest to marketers or manufacturers.
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simon gibbs

1-12-2007 @3:30PM simon gibbs said... I was not aware that I was a girlie for drinking diet coke. Its abscence of carbs has helped me keep my weight down for years, and I played football, rugby and fathered two children. Coke zero is very similar though I don't like the taste so much. My kids love diet coke now but it is full of caffeine, thus I'd much prefer to see caffeine free diet coke at the soda fountain than something that is essentially the same as diet coke.
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Cindy

1-12-2007 @2:20PM Cindy said... All that fake, zero calorie sugar is TERRIBLE for your body, and so is the "fiz" in the soda. Everyone would do far better to drink "the real stuff" sparingly rather than soaking in it all day pretending you are doing something great for yourself.
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Brad

1-12-2007 @2:56PM Brad said... You are all crazy! Diet Mt. Dew is far superior to any of the carbonated brown waters that Coke creates!
Reply

156 Comments / 8 Pages

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