Post by xxxxxCanManxxxxx on Jan 5, 2011 9:34:42 GMT -5
In the mid-20th Century, after the dark cola age, but before Mountain Dew tickled anybody's innards, there was the brightly named and flavored Sun Drop.
A regional soda pop brand, Sun Drop, aka Gold-en Girl Cola, was popular in southeast Nebraska. Then it practically disappeared from this area sometime in the 1970s. Now it's coming back in a big, nationwide young-guzzler market promotion.
A caffeinated citrus "cola," as it was defined 50 years ago, Sun Drop was sort of like Mountain Dew.
What it was, was a buzz.
Green, white and gold Sun-Drop bottles in the past bore the embossed message and image: "Refreshing as a cup of coffee," alongside a steaming cup of joe.
Caffeinated beverages are resurgent, and the government is cracking down on the alcoholic kind.
So, perhaps not so coincidentally, Dr Pepper Snapple Group, owner of the Sun-Drop brand, announced what it called a "groundbreaking" multi-year agreement to promote nationally and distribute Sun Drop, which it described as a favorite in the Carolinas and the Midwest.
There's clearly lots of juice behind the national breakout of what had become one of those regionally limited cult brands.
MTVN Music Group, a division of Viacom's MTV networks, is partnering with Dr Pepper Snapple in what DPS spokesman Jason Genthner said is believed to be a unique relationship between a TV network and a beverage.
The Sun Drop campaign is the latest project of MTV Scratch, MTV's in-house creative team, and represents what the companies called a pioneering new marketing approach for Dr Pepper Snapple.
"(Dr Pepper Snapple) will tap MTV's unique ability to reach and connect with young consumers, as MTV Scratch develops Sun Drop's brand strategy and creative across all marketing platforms," the companies said.
"Sun Drop has an incredibly passionate fan base, and we believe MTV can help us broaden that connection with millennials who can take it to the next level," said Jim Trebilcock, executive vice president of marketing for Dr Pepper Snapple Group, in a press release. Sun Drop has thousands of friends on Facebook.
The aggressive marketing future is clear. The Sun Drop brand's history, however, is shrouded in mist.
"That's an area we struggle with right now," Genthner said in an interview. "The brand's changed hands a lot."
Dr Pepper Snapple's predecessor, Cadbury Shweppes, bought it in 1989.
"We still debate the year it was founded," Genthner said. "Our records say '51, but the name goes back to '28 when a different beverage was sold under that name. It was an orange drink then.
"Crush International had it, Procter and Gamble bought it in the '80s."
The Sun Drop campaign spotlights what DPS calls one of its "most beloved brands," among the 50 or so it sells.
Sun Drop's "authentic" taste has made it a Top 5 brand in many of the markets where it is now available," the company said.
There's a diet version and fruit-flavored ones, too, just like colas and Dr Pepper.
Flavored beverages such as Sun Drop are the fastest-growing segment in all carbonated soft drinks, according to DPS. Also known as non-colas, (not to be confused with 7-Up, formerly known as the Uncola, also owned by Dr Pepper Snapple,) flavored beverages have gained steadily on colas over the past 20 years and now represent more than 50 percent of all carbonated soft-drink retail sales in measured channels, DPS said.
Clearly, Sun Drop's competition is youth-marketed drinks such as Mountain Dew, but Genthner said DPS isn't planning just to compete head to head.
"We're looking to grow that category, the citrus category," he said.
At long last, the Sun Drop promotional website says, the days of smuggling Sun Drop over state lines are over. "It's time to Get Dropped."
And get caffeinated.
"Absolutely," Genthner said. "We still keep the caffeine content up."
journalstar.com/business/local/article_3d9462ee-1808-5ffb-a53e-5f4a07d4b6cf.html
A regional soda pop brand, Sun Drop, aka Gold-en Girl Cola, was popular in southeast Nebraska. Then it practically disappeared from this area sometime in the 1970s. Now it's coming back in a big, nationwide young-guzzler market promotion.
A caffeinated citrus "cola," as it was defined 50 years ago, Sun Drop was sort of like Mountain Dew.
What it was, was a buzz.
Green, white and gold Sun-Drop bottles in the past bore the embossed message and image: "Refreshing as a cup of coffee," alongside a steaming cup of joe.
Caffeinated beverages are resurgent, and the government is cracking down on the alcoholic kind.
So, perhaps not so coincidentally, Dr Pepper Snapple Group, owner of the Sun-Drop brand, announced what it called a "groundbreaking" multi-year agreement to promote nationally and distribute Sun Drop, which it described as a favorite in the Carolinas and the Midwest.
There's clearly lots of juice behind the national breakout of what had become one of those regionally limited cult brands.
MTVN Music Group, a division of Viacom's MTV networks, is partnering with Dr Pepper Snapple in what DPS spokesman Jason Genthner said is believed to be a unique relationship between a TV network and a beverage.
The Sun Drop campaign is the latest project of MTV Scratch, MTV's in-house creative team, and represents what the companies called a pioneering new marketing approach for Dr Pepper Snapple.
"(Dr Pepper Snapple) will tap MTV's unique ability to reach and connect with young consumers, as MTV Scratch develops Sun Drop's brand strategy and creative across all marketing platforms," the companies said.
"Sun Drop has an incredibly passionate fan base, and we believe MTV can help us broaden that connection with millennials who can take it to the next level," said Jim Trebilcock, executive vice president of marketing for Dr Pepper Snapple Group, in a press release. Sun Drop has thousands of friends on Facebook.
The aggressive marketing future is clear. The Sun Drop brand's history, however, is shrouded in mist.
"That's an area we struggle with right now," Genthner said in an interview. "The brand's changed hands a lot."
Dr Pepper Snapple's predecessor, Cadbury Shweppes, bought it in 1989.
"We still debate the year it was founded," Genthner said. "Our records say '51, but the name goes back to '28 when a different beverage was sold under that name. It was an orange drink then.
"Crush International had it, Procter and Gamble bought it in the '80s."
The Sun Drop campaign spotlights what DPS calls one of its "most beloved brands," among the 50 or so it sells.
Sun Drop's "authentic" taste has made it a Top 5 brand in many of the markets where it is now available," the company said.
There's a diet version and fruit-flavored ones, too, just like colas and Dr Pepper.
Flavored beverages such as Sun Drop are the fastest-growing segment in all carbonated soft drinks, according to DPS. Also known as non-colas, (not to be confused with 7-Up, formerly known as the Uncola, also owned by Dr Pepper Snapple,) flavored beverages have gained steadily on colas over the past 20 years and now represent more than 50 percent of all carbonated soft-drink retail sales in measured channels, DPS said.
Clearly, Sun Drop's competition is youth-marketed drinks such as Mountain Dew, but Genthner said DPS isn't planning just to compete head to head.
"We're looking to grow that category, the citrus category," he said.
At long last, the Sun Drop promotional website says, the days of smuggling Sun Drop over state lines are over. "It's time to Get Dropped."
And get caffeinated.
"Absolutely," Genthner said. "We still keep the caffeine content up."
journalstar.com/business/local/article_3d9462ee-1808-5ffb-a53e-5f4a07d4b6cf.html