A rounded product portfolio is proving extremely important for Dr
Pepper/Seven Up. Taking both milk drink Raging Cow and Deja Blue bottled water to a national level will require a combination of targeted marketing and highly strategic retailing alliances. The success of both products will be key in keeping apace with Coca-Cola and Pepsi’s ever-expanding product range.
The US carbonated beverages market is continuing to prove a difficult
one in which to secure significant growth. On top of this general market issue, Dr Pepper/Seven Up has had additional brand-specific problems over the past year.
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7-Up’s sales volumes declined by 16% in the first half of 2003 due to the soft drink being dropped by several bottlers in the PepsiCo network. Meanwhile, Dr Pepper suffered from contract issues with a major customer causing declines in Dr Pepper fountain and food
service sales.
Some of these issues, however, are providing interesting market
opportunities for Dr Pepper/Seven Up. For example, by being forced to
find its own independent distribution networks, it is now less confined by its rivals’ product offerings.
As such, the company is taking the opportunity to invest in two new
beverage types. Raging Cow is a new milk-based drink launched in five
flavours: Pina Colada Chaos, Jamocha Frenzy, Berry Mixed Up, Chocolate Caramel Craze and Chocolate Insanity. Deja Blue is a purified water already popular in Texas, the Midwest and Southern California.
Offering a well-rounded product portfolio is always vital in negotiating and securing retail shelf space, but never more so than now within the soft drinks market. Coca-Cola and Pepsi have also been introducing new milk-based products; Swerve, Starbucks’ Frappuccinos and SoBe’s Love Bus Brew, and of course already market the Dasani and Aquafina waters respectively.
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By GlobalDataDr Pepper/Seven Up faces an interesting challenge in taking Raging Cow and Deja Blue nationwide at the same time. Indeed, its entry into the water market could well spark the much anticipated water price war.
Raging Cow’s success will ultimately depend on attracting a wider
demographic than just the youth market. Each will require highly
tactical marketing efforts, but the potential upside makes the efforts well worth undertaking.
