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New Coke Product Launch: Tab Clear

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New Coke Product Launch: Tab Clear Few name brands are as familiar, have generated as much loyalty and have penetrated as many far reaches of the globe as has Coca-Cola. The name, logo, image and product line all have achieved a level of universal appeal and commercial dominance unmatched in its industry. However, no firm is above the demand to remain creative, dynamic and forward-thinking. While Coca-Cola's 'classic' formula remains the single most preferred soft-drink in the world, the soft-drink industry is an incredibly competitive one. For Coke, this denotes a need to balance its classic image with that of an industry innovator. Maintaining this balance is not always easy, especially in light of the market imperatives created by its closest competitor, Pepsi Cola. This difficulty was perhaps best demonstrated during the rollout and product launch in 1992 of Coca-Cola's Tab Clear. The strategy which surrounded this product launch would demonstrate the sometimes precarious position of an industry leader in the face of fast-moving trends. In 1992, with Coke well-secured as the top-earner in the soft-drink industry, Pepsi was in a position to make a clear challenge to its supremacy. Pepsi had positioned itself as the hipper alternative to Coke, brining popular musicians and sports figures in to hawk its product. So when it launched its Crystal Pepsi, a clear soft-drink with a flavor intended to mirror the original caramel colored Pepsi drink, it marketed the product as

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