It’s hard to believe that marketing for a product can be done almost entirely based on a name, but Cocaine is that product. Targeted for America’s youth. Even the powdery-like writing is designed to fuel the same fascination that makes the younger kids chew cigar-shaped gum (or did they stop making those things due to their blatant irresponsibility).
Cocaine was created in September of 2006, by James Kirby and Redux Beverages. There has been a substantial amount of discussion about the implications of using the name “cocaine” (an illegal street drug) for an energy drink:
After less than one year on store shelves, Cocaine was pulled by the FDA on May 7, 2007 due to drink’s name and its claims to be–as the former slogan implied–”the legal alternative” to the street drug as well as a dietary supplement. Since May 2007, Cocaine is again available to the masses after the company battled for its name.
In addition to the illicit implications of the name, there are also concerns about the amount of caffeine found in the drink (over three and a half times the amount found in Red Bull and other energy drinks).
It’s clear that the makers of Cocaine are targeting teenagers and party goers, not only by their interviews, but also by their marketing. Hannah Kirby, a spokesperson for Redux said, “We knew we would get noticed against a thousand other energy drinks. We knew kids would find it cool…” Knowing that young people would be intrigued by the name, Redux continued to pursue young consumers with by sponsoring concert tours, as well as building a Myspace page and a website that requires parental permission to enter. If a visitors click no, they’re sent to watch this YouTube video:
It’s clear that the makers of Cocaine are telling their public that only the cool kids can drink Cocaine; otherwise they should just drink their grandparents’ energy drink: Coke (which used to contain cocaine, which is funny). Only cool kids who like German music, black metal concerts, shopping at Hot Topic, writing to their Attorney General in Texas in order to allow Cocaine to be sold, and being part of the Cocaine social network (yes, they have their own) are allowed to partake in the festivities that are liquid Cocaine. Oh yeah, and they have their very own Minterfresh Cocaine Girl. She’s pretty, right?
