noviembre 06, 2004

Product lines for PR

This story makes me laugh:
Jones Soda Co. takes the idea of a liquid diet to a new low. How does Green Bean Casserole Soda strike you? And how about an aggressively buttery-smelling Mashed Potato Soda?

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Even the creators of the fizzy concoctions at this small Seattle soda company can hardly stomach the stuff. But last year's unexpected success of the Turkey & Gravy Soda means another round of bizarre food-flavored soft drinks.

As an added bonus, they're calorie-free.

This week Jones Soda Co. launches a full meal deal of five Thanksgiving soda flavors, from the bile-colored Green Bean Casserole to the sweet — but slightly sickly — Fruitcake Soda. Last year's Turkey & Gravy is also back on the menu.
I think this is a PR stunt.

Jones is a smart, quirky company. They make "gourmet" sodas, which are generally very tasty. I believe they are from the Northwest, and seem to love that quirky semi-hippie vibe from up there. Their problem isn't so much in keeping customers; it's in getting the distribution that allows them to go after customers. Jones isn't available many places so far, but I'm sure they'd like to build some brand recognition for places that they go in the future.

And look -- they've managed to get very good coverage. Most newspapers have picked up the story!