Coke Adds 'Life' - but who's buying it?
Forget the accusations of ‘greenwashing’, Coca Cola Life has now been in the Australian market for just over a month. So, what do people think of it? Is Coca Cola Life the next great success for the undisputed King of Fizzy Drinks?
If you haven’t tried it yourself, here’s what DIY loving Lifehacker had to say about the product
While it doesn’t taste exactly like regular Coca-Cola, the differences are subtle and not unpleasant. It’s not as sweet as the other Coke varieties, but I think this actually works in its favour. Unlike the full-flavoured version, it doesn’t overpower what you’re eating and the stevia has a much cleaner aftertaste that is vaguely reminiscent of mint.
In March, the Australian Financial Review introduced the product and demonstrated just how optimistic Coca Cola Amatil’s Chief Executive, Alice Watkins, was about the new edition.
"Pretty much everyone in Australia will want to try Coke Life. The important indicator for us is repeat purchase and that will take a little while to play through and become evident. But it's a reason to be trying Coke again and it very conclusively demonstrates that Coke is absolutely moving with the times."
Stirring stuff, indeed.
Today, Fairfax reports that seven million litres have been sold in the first five weeks, so someone has certainly tasted it. Although, whether or not his number accounts for stock in transit or on shelves is not stated.
So, the big question is this: Do customers really respond to the marketing of this as a ‘healthy’ product? Has the green label changed the way people consume? Or do they simply accept that nothing good can come of purchasing a Coke product, so might as well stick to whichever vice you choose to pour down their throat?
In a time when locally-produced/organic/free-range/etc is quickly hitting the mainstream, one might wonder if Coca Cola Life can only take a share of an ever-decreasing market.