In case you missed it – Dr. Pepper has come out with a Men’s Only Diet Soda called Dr. Pepper Ten. Why? Because I guess they feel “diet” isn’t manly enough, so guys won’t buy it. So, increase the calories to 10 and don’t call it diet and guys will rush to the store to buy it. The brilliant marketing people even put the new soda in a “gun metal” grey can – to make it even manlier. Just what society needed – a semi diet soda in a grey can and commercials that say “It’s Not For Women”. At this point my goal in life is to meet the person who was sitting on their lazy boy, in their man cave, in front of the 60 inch LCD when this commercial came on and said to themselves “you know, that’s a brilliant idea!” I have a strong desire to meet this person!
Hey, Dr. Pepper – you want to know what else isn’t for Women? Guys who can’t admit that they don’t want the extra calories from non-diet sodas, so they have to pick up a can of a soda that is really diet, but not called that, and is marketed for Men Only.
Chalk this up as potentially the worst marketing idea for 2011!
Coca Cola Zero is basically the same concept. It worked for them.
Tim –
Nice post, but you’re missing an important point. This isn’t for you. You’re old enough that your life is pretty much over, and when it comes to macho, let’s face it – you’re wearing pastels and sweater vests.
Haven’t seen the commercials, but interesting enough, my 11YO son is a Diet Dr Pepper drinker and he’s requested it.
Boom.
KD
Really stupid marketing and advertising. VERY interesting from the PR perspective. They will get a lot of awareness (sadley) which will lead to people trying it out. But I bet the person that came up with the theme wasn’t smart enough to know that!
To top it all off, it tastes like crap. My wife had to take my word for it.