FIERCE ANTICIPATION: The Jersey Joe Edition III
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a substitute blogumn by Jersey Joe
Ryan has been gone for quite some time, now. We can only assume that he’s been assimilated by the Borg coll, so once again we’re stuck with the rants of everyone’s favorite fill-in — Jersey Joe!
FIERCELY ANTICIPATING
The Next Flavor of Mountain Dew
Whoever is in charge of marketing at the Pepsi bottling company, or whoever they are outsourcing their marketing to, is a genius.
So, how do you take a hot selling product with a huge fan base and make it even better? By getting the fans involved, let them sample the product, and then vote for what they really want.
Once again, Mountain Dew has released three new flavors to add to their already large line of flavors. Mountain Dew: Distortion, which is Dew flavored with Lime; Mountain Dew: White Out, basically Dew with a splash of Squirt or 7-Up, and Mountain Dew: Typhoon, which is Dew mixed with fruit punch.
While, I don’t intend this blogumn to be a commercial for the Mountain Dew family of products, I must confess that I am a major Dew drinker. Some people start their day with coffee, I start mine with a bottle of Dew. I was excited when a friend texted to ask if I had tried any of the new flavors. I had not seen the commercial, so I had no idea they were released. The next day, I ran right to my local Shop-Rite and bought several of each flavor to sample.
And that’s where the genius of this marketing campaign shows its full force. Known as “DEWmocracy,” fans are asked to sample each flavor and then go to their website, dewmocracy.com, and cast a vote for their favorite. The winner then becomes a permanent addition to the line.
First off, they are almost guaranteed not one, but three sales from every hard core fan. Most are going to run to the store and buy one bottle of each flavor, totaling three sales. On most trips to the grocery or convenience store, I am mostly inclined to hit the fountain drink machine, or purchase just one bottle. With this campaign, you’ve got me for three! That’s not counting the return trips to pick up more of the new flavors. Heaven forbid that my favorite flavor doesn’t win! It then disappears from the market. I better stock up!
Second, the bottlers have also ensured sales once fans have picked the winning flavor. There’s no guess as to what they will want. No risk in rolling out a flavor, with a full ad campaign, only to have it flop. Ever hear of Diet Mountain Dew: Ultraviolet. It wasn’t good. And yes, I tried it.
In another stroke of genius, the bottlers also held a competition for fans to design the label. Three finalists were chosen and they appear on the bottles right now. Again, adding more of the fan into the product.
Mountain Dew underwent a similar marketing campaign back in summer 2008, with three test flavors hitting the market, and the winner, Mountain Dew: Voltage, hitting the shelves just before the new year.
Could there be a better way to target that 12 – 30 year old demographic? It certainly lowers the risk, when you allow fans to choose! So, thanks to the Mountain Dew people for letting us have our say. I can’t wait to try what flavors you’ll come up with next!
KINDA WANNA SEE
Eric Whitacre’s Virtual Choir
The internet has definitely changed our lives. It’s brought the world into our living rooms, dorm rooms, bed rooms, offices, and into the palms of our hands. Ideas (including this blogumn), are at your fingertips in milliseconds. Just take a look back 10 years ago and see how far we’ve come since the turn of the century.
Now in 2010, we have a virtual choir – and it’s freaking cool!
According to their video, 185 different voices, from 12 different countries, are all edited together in perfect harmony.
This is what “We are the World” wishes it could be. It’s very simply and smartly done. Participants watched the conducting video and then recorded and uploaded themselves singing along with it. Lastly, all of the tracks were edited together by a producer and it’s really something great.
All of this was created by a 20 year old music major from the University of Toronto, and it’s gaining some major attention, including stories by CTV and CNN.
It’s definitely refreshing to see the internet and technology being put to good use for a change. If only the path to world peace could be this simple? But, at least this guy has the right idea
WOULDN’T IF YOU PAID ME
Snookie and Jersey Shore
I can’t stand these people. I was able to make it through about 15 minutes of the pilot episode. Maybe I’m getting too old, but these people have to be the most annoying group on television today.
What makes it worse is constantly hearing about another party they crashed or another bar fight “The Situation” got into. Please make it stop. And now they’re shooting a second season. Oh, joy!
Look. It’s really not a good show. It’s trash TV. The show got some buzz for MTV (which does stand for Music Television, but shows no videos — that’s another argument.) and it purely aimed at the younger crowd. However, these people have to realize their just the flavor of the month, for now. We will never know who Snookie is in a few years. She has no career, no chance, and no respectful company will hire her after all the bad publicity and riff raff.
Also, bravo to the guy who threw a drink in her face while they were shooting season 2. I’m sure it was all egged on by the producers. The vast majority of what you see on reality TV is quite fake. But, I would love the chance to throw one at her too!
I hate mountain dew. I think it is one of the worst tasting beverages in the world.
I hate mountain dew. I think it is one of the worst tasting beverages in the world.
Yeah, but you’ve got to admit it’s a brilliant marketing campaign, even if it’s not geared toward you.
I still give them some applause for trying different variations on their product. Some work and some don't, but at least their getting everyone involved.
Plus, they could also appeal to non-Dew drinkers. Maybe someone will give them a try who's a fan of orange Crush or Sunkist and wants to try their orange flavor?
I still give them some applause for trying different variations on their product. Some work and some don't, but at least their getting everyone involved.
Plus, they could also appeal to non-Dew drinkers. Maybe someone will give them a try who's a fan of orange Crush or Sunkist and wants to try their orange flavor?
What's the matter, Jersey Joe? Did "Jersey Shore" remind you of the guys that used to beat you up and take your lunch money? Why don't you go home, snuggle your stuffed Derek Jeter, and cry me a river.
Reminder: No personal attacks on our bloggers or commenters. Strike two results in comment deletion and getting permanently blocked from comments.
Thank you for your comments. But, I didn't go to school with anybody as lame as the Jersey Shore cast…! ha ha
What's the matter, Jersey Joe? Did "Jersey Shore" remind you of the guys that used to beat you up and take your lunch money? Why don't you go home, snuggle your stuffed Derek Jeter, and cry me a river.
Reminder: No personal attacks on our bloggers or commenters. Strike two results in comment deletion and getting permanently blocked from comments.
Thank you for your comments. But, I didn't go to school with anybody as lame as the Jersey Shore cast…! ha ha
I generally drink 1-2 Mountain Dews a year–usually in the summer. So the big question for you, Jersey Joe…which flavor should I drink?
That's a big question. If I had to pick, I would go with the new White Out.
But, I'm also a big fan of Voltage and Livewire and still very much love the original flavor.
I generally drink 1-2 Mountain Dews a year–usually in the summer. So the big question for you, Jersey Joe…which flavor should I drink?
That's a big question. If I had to pick, I would go with the new White Out.
But, I'm also a big fan of Voltage and Livewire and still very much love the original flavor.
I hope shows like Jersey Shore are a sign of the end of reality TV. I see more and more scripted shows doing well and the only reality that does any numbers anymore is pure shock TV.
I agree. Scripted shows are definitely making a comeback. From what I've read, this fall, there will be a noticeable reduction in the amount of reality TV. It's just sad that MTV, doesn't have anything to do with music anymore and they have to stoop so low, as to create shows like "Jersey Shore." I'm scared to know what they are cooking up next.
You're right. Also, it seems to me that we are running out of ideas for reality tv, unless it's going for pure shock value. All of the shows I see on MTV now are basically the same. Jersey Shore is the only one that stands out right now, but it's only a matter of time until we've seen everything that they can do.
Same deal with the broadcast networks. How many cooking shows, and dancing shows, and singing shows are there? Too many!
I hope shows like Jersey Shore are a sign of the end of reality TV. I see more and more scripted shows doing well and the only reality that does any numbers anymore is pure shock TV.
I agree. Scripted shows are definitely making a comeback. From what I've read, this fall, there will be a noticeable reduction in the amount of reality TV. It's just sad that MTV, doesn't have anything to do with music anymore and they have to stoop so low, as to create shows like "Jersey Shore." I'm scared to know what they are cooking up next.
You're right. Also, it seems to me that we are running out of ideas for reality tv, unless it's going for pure shock value. All of the shows I see on MTV now are basically the same. Jersey Shore is the only one that stands out right now, but it's only a matter of time until we've seen everything that they can do.
Same deal with the broadcast networks. How many cooking shows, and dancing shows, and singing shows are there? Too many!
All that Mountain Dew talk reminds me of when I worked at PBG…and the first batch of Code Red that was missing ingredients, and essentially came out as Cherokee Red…funny to think about that product name – I suppose you wouldn't be able to call it that these days.
My how times have changed. They probably sold the original formula and it's ended up as some Sam's Choice offering with a more PR name now.
All that Mountain Dew talk reminds me of when I worked at PBG…and the first batch of Code Red that was missing ingredients, and essentially came out as Cherokee Red…funny to think about that product name – I suppose you wouldn't be able to call it that these days.
My how times have changed. They probably sold the original formula and it's ended up as some Sam's Choice offering with a more PR name now.