Knowing that the 90’s are “retro” makes me feel old.
While I do remember the 90’s fondly in some respects, there
are probably some things that shouldn’t come back. I have a sneaking suspicion that Pepsi thinks
its own Crystal Pepsi is one of them. Based
on their method of “reintroduction” I believe that Pepsi is certainly playing
it as safe as possible with some subtle hints that it may be a reluctant
relaunch.
In their teasers leading up to it, Pepsi tweeted a photo of
a can of original Pepsi being imbibed by someone named Crystal, (wearing a cheap
necklace with bearing her name) with the caption “Is this what you meant?” and
later a photo of a can of original Pepsi laying on a bed of crystals with the
caption, “So, not this.” I tease my kids
the same way when I’m mildly reluctant to give them something they’re asking
for. Kind of a, “Are you sure you want
this? How about this, instead?” Say what you will about my parenting, I’ll
bet I’m not the only one who does this.
Even compared to Coca Cola’s “online only” Surge comeback, the
Crystal Pepsi initial offering is extremely limited. As announced, Crystal Pepsi is available as
part of a sweepstakes wherein the entry period is 48 hours (ending today). Initially I thought the entries were only limited
to Pepsi loyalists who had points in their PepsiPass accounts. Each entry will cost you 1000 points for a
chance to win one of 13,000 six-packs of 16oz bottles. It turns out that even if you don’t have the PepsiPass
app, you can enter online and you get 5000 points just for signing up. So really it is open to anybody. The only people this weeds out are people who
don’t have enough motivation to sign up for an account and people who have
already signed up for an account, but have used their points and don’t have
motivation to do what it takes to build their points back up in the short time
period.
From a marketing standpoint, this gives Pepsi a huge amount data
on potential customers. This allows them
to really gauge how much interest there is in Crystal Pepsi rather than relying
on the rallying cry of a handful vocal enthusiasts. First off, it allows Pepsi to see who would
be interested in getting their hands on at least a six pack. I see this as Pepsi asking the question, “By
raise of hands, who wants Crystal Pepsi?”
When you sign up for the PepsiPass account/app and put in an entry, you
give your email address, mailing address, birth date, and phone number. I expect marketing loves information like
that. Additionally, not only are they
asking “Who wants some?” they can sort out the info by order of “How bad do you
want it?” During the two day period, you’re
limited to 3 entries per day for a total of 6 entries. So likely 1 entry falls into the “Sounds
interesting.” category, 2 entries equates to “I’d try it.” 3 entries tells them
“I’ll do everything I can for a single day to get some, but I’m not devoted
enough to do this for two days.” 4 Entries means “I’m in, but I’m a bit short
on points.” 5 entries shows them “I just
signed up for Crystal Pepsi and nothing else.”
6 entries tells them, “I’m a Pepsi fan through and through. I’ll do everything I can no matter what.”
Once the 13,000 winners get their coveted 6-pack, you can
bet a fair number of winners will brag about it via social media, showing Pepsi
feedback and creating buzz. From here they can make the decision whether they
want a wider launch. While I haven’t
seen anything official from Pepsi, there is speculation that Crystal Pepsi will
hit stores in Summer 2016. I would be very
surprised if it lasts very long, given that it flopped the first time around
and Pepsi’s penchant for Limited Time Offers, particularly under the Mountain
Dew brand. Even 23 years of pining
nostalgia won’t keep it afloat if it isn’t any good. Everyone who tasted it the first time around
has undoubtedly experienced changing tastes/palettes and preferences over the
years, so would people really exclaim “This tastes just like I remember!” after
all this time? However, Pepsi is touting
it as improved. (Which begs the question, is it really a return if it’s been
reformulated?) Supposedly it has
caffeine this time around, which I would guess they’re thinking adds to its
appeal. I’d imagine that came from focus
group data because it kind of pulls it away from its original intent of being
more simple and clean than regular colas.
But whatever, their Dewshine seems to be somewhat prolific, I wonder if
that was a precursor to a Crystal Pepsi relaunch.
I think that the video ad Pepsi released was subtly tongue-in-cheek
advertising, mocking their own product in a way. The ad opens with the janitor cleaning the
elevator when he finds a hidden button for the 92nd floor. He’s swiftly transported up there where
everything is apparently stuck in ’92/93.
Computers, hairstyles, glasses and everything visible seems to indicate
it’s still 1992. Everything is also
festooned with Crystal Pepsi logos. This
does seem to feel like that’s where Crystal Pepsi belongs: in the past. The employees there seem to know the janitor,
almost as if he was part of their team at one point. This to me suggests that some people involved
with the original Crystal Pepsi didn’t make it very far in life. It was a pretty well remembered failure,
though not as epic as New Coke. The
employees there, dressed in garb not out of place in early 90’s offices,
(though not out of place in some offices today) are celebrating the relaunch to
Tag Team’s Whoomp There it is, opening
with the line, “Tag Team, Back again…”
In review, was Tag Team ever back again?
As far as I know it wasn’t a household name. The song, released in 1993 reached #2 on the
Billboard charts, but that’s all that I can remember from them (I had to google
who even performed the song). The lyrics
fit a relaunch, but being a #2 song suggests that while this may be a relaunch,
it was never a #1, never really a win. So
the commercial opens with ‘92, when Crystal Pepsi was launched and flows to a musical
reference to ’93, when Crystal Pepsi was pulled. And that “Whoomp, there it is!” is almost
like an in-your-face, “You really want this, FINE! Here it is. Don’t complain later if you don’t like it.” It’s obvious these are 16oz bottles, which
were the norm at the time, but rarer in the two decades since. It adds to the nostalgia, but also may be a suggestion
that maybe you don’t want it in today’s standard 20oz bottle. If I recall, it wasn’t that bad that you
wouldn’t be able to finish a 20oz, but sometimes even something that’s mediocre
loses its appeal after just so much. The
video ends with one of the employees saying, “Let’s get the word out!” and then
you hear the dial up modem sound as they crowd around the computer – and wait. Again, here’s something that suggests maybe
Pepsi is a little reluctant to let this go, and maybe it really does belong in
the past.
Regardless of their intentions, I’ve thrown my hat in the
ring, and if I have a six-pack show up at my door sometime later this month, I’ll
let you know and I’ll try my hardest to bring the world a recipe so that even
if this is a limited time only coming this summer or worst case scenario a
promotion only for the holidays, Crystal Pepsi will live on.
