Red Bull launch natural cola
Red Bull, the world’s leading energy drink manufacturer, has recently launched a new cola drink into the market dominated by Pepsi and Coca-Cola. The drink is 100% natural (unlike Pepsi and Coca-Cola) and consists of kola nut and coca leaf. The drink will be named ‘Red Bull Simply Cola’ with the slogan ‘strong and natural’ the focus of their promotional campaigns.
The drink has now been made available in six European countries and Las Vegas in the US but sales figures for the first few weeks have yet to be released. Red Bull is likely to slowly expand its’ distribution of the drink provided sales are in-line with expectations.
It is to be sold in 8.4-oz cans at bars, clubs and restaurants and in 12-oz. cans at grocery and convenience stores and will have a price premium to its’ competition.
The brand extension of Red Bull is a first for the company and comes in the wake of Pepsi and Coca-Cola offering their own energy drink varieties to challenge Red Bull in the ever-expanding energy drink market. The choice to enter the cola market has surprised many because of the lack of growth in this sector and a difficulty to compete. Virgin were famous failures in the cola market despite the expenditure of many millions; the major advantage Red Bull have over Virgin, though, is that they already have a distribution network in place.
