Diet Coke re-brands with 4 new flavors
Coca-Cola has introduced new packaging and four new fruit-flavored drinks to its Diet Coke brand to attract a new generation of drinkers millennials.
In a statement, the company said the re-brand will target consumers interested in trying new things while retaining the loyal Diet Coke consumer.
“We’re contemporizing the Diet Coke brand and portfolio with sleek packaging and new flavors that are appealing to new audiences,” said Rafael Acevedo, Coca-Cola North America’s group director for Diet Coke.
Coca-Cola said the new flavors — Ginger Lime, Feisty Cherry, Zesty Blood Orange and Twisted Mango — will add variety to the Diet Coke brand, which debuted in 1982.The design and flavor changes, however, will remain consistent with what the Diet Coke brand stands for, Acevedo said.
The introduction of new flavors for an established brand follows consumer reports pointing to a decline in volume sales of diet drinks.
Recent market trends show consumers opting for bottled water, unsweetened beverages and sparkling water, which are considered healthier options to artificially flavored drinks, says Duane Stanford, executive editor of Beverage Digest.
A 2016 report by Beverage Digest, a publication covering non-alcoholic beverages in the United States, showed a 0.8 percent decline in the overall volume sales for carbonated soft drinks, with Diet Coke sales falling by 4.3 percent. As the sales for carbonated drinks fell, bottled water sales surged. Stanford attributes the decline to the rise in the market of an array of drinks that have diversified choices for consumers of non-alcoholic drinks.
According to the report, the value for soft drink companies has been on the rise despite the drop in sales for diet sodas because companies have tailored their products to meet consumer preferences for attractively packaged, smaller, healthier portions.
“Consumers may not necessarily want 12 ounces in a sitting. They may want 7-and-ahalf ounces instead. It’s up to the companies to offer those options,” Stanford said, adding that the better the companies do that, the more profitable they will become.
The Diet Coke relaunch follows a two-year innovation process that included a survey of 1,000 people countrywide who suggested bolder flavors as well as sleeker packaging.
The new flavors will be packaged in 12-oz. cans and will be sold in 8-packs or as singles.
“This visual evolution elevates the brand to a more contemporary space, while still using at its foundation the recognizable core brand visual assets,” said James Sommerville, vice president of CocaCola Global Design.
The new design will feature the brand’s iconic silver color accented with red, and will add bold color palettes representing the new flavors.
According to Coca-Cola, the new products will be introduced to U.S. stores this month and will be in distribution in the international market in February. Canada will be the first location outside the U.S. to sell the relaunched products.
The new flavors and design follow the company’s launch of the no-calorie Coca-Cola Zero Sugar last August.
Diet Coke is sold in 110 countries.
Penthouse Global Media, the company behind the legendary adult magazine created five decades ago by Bob Guccione, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, according to court documents filed Thursday in a California federal court.
The filing represents the latest setback for the publisher, which has been struggling financially for years as the print advertising market has declined and the adult entertainment industry has migrated online.
In addition to putting out a monthly magazine, Penthouse oversees several adult cable and satellite channels that reach more than 100 countries. It also runs a licensing business for its intellectual property and iconic brand.
Chatsworth-based Penthouse Global Media was formed in 2016 when it was acquired by Chief Executive Kelly Holland in a management buyout from parent company FriendFinder Networks. The Florida-based online dating site had merged with the company in 2007 and explored the idea of shutting down the print magazine. FriendFinder itself filed for bankruptcy protection in 2013.
Penthouse didn’t respond to a request for comment.