Thanks for letting us know. I too found those G commercials very puzzling. On Fri, Jan 16, 2009 at 3:30 PM, Jerry Belloit <[email protected]> wrote:
> I don't know how many of you saw the "G" commercials during sporting > events lately. Frankly, I did not even know what G was about until today. > It is an apparent attempt by Pepsi to disenfranchise the Gatorade name from > the product in order to appeal to new consumers (F$U grads?). Here is a > link to an article about the program: > > > > http://www.palmbeachpost.com/sports/...rade_0115.html<http://www.palmbeachpost.com/sports/content/sports/epaper/2009/01/14/a1a_gatorade_0115.html> > > > > I was so enraged over their program than I contacted the company with the > following: > > > > "I generally don't write to a company with a complaint on a marketing > program. However, I feel as a business professor and as a consumer, I need > to let you know just how much I dislike your new "G" marketing program. > > > > If your goal was to evoke a strong emotional response, you have succeeded. > If your goal was to increase the desire to feel positive about purchasing > the product, you have failed miserably. > > > > I understand that you may be attempting to expand the market appeal, trying > to reach a broader group, but, in my professional opinion, I don't believe > that this accomplishes your objective. > > > > First, I had no idea that the "G" commercials had any connection to > Gatorade, Pepsi, or any consumer food product. In fact, if I had been asked > to guess, I would have thought that it was some new program by Nike or some > other shoe company. > > > > Second, the desire to disenfranchise the Gatorade name from the product is > mind-numbing! The history and name brand loyalty is important. If you > would have liked to create a new product, why didn't you just come out with > a G brand and leave Gatorade to its own market. I think that the result of > this will be similar to the New Coke disaster of your competitor. I might > add that right now, the Gator brand (University of Florida) is stronger than > ever and seems poised to grow even more as their athletic programs become > even stronger. > > > > Finally, I have another concern. Two years ago you changed the formulation > of Gatorade to be sweetened by fructose. As an athletic performance > beverage, fructose is not a particularly good choice. With the existing > formulation, I feel like it is somewhat similar to any non-carbonated soft > drink and not a beverage that will enhance my ability to excel > athletically." > > > > I responded to them through their "Contact Us" portal on the Gatorade.com > website. > > > > Jerry > > > > > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ GATORS: ONE VOICE ON SATURDAY - NO VOICE ON SUNDAY! 1996 National Football Champions | 2006 National Basketball Champions 2006 National Football Champions | 2007 National Basketball Champions 2008 National Football Champions | Three Heisman Trophy winners: Steve Spurrier (1966), Danny Wuerffel (1996), Tim Tebow (2007) - Visit our website at www.gatornet.us -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
