SAVE SURGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[psalife]

Hi,
SURGE lovers we need to band together here's why. The local Coke bottler has decided that it is gonna re-introduce Mello Yello because the sales of SURGE have been less than they wanted. Although they havent yet cancelled SURGE.
Judgeing by the lack of advertising for SURGE and the fact that Mello Yello is stacked on top of SURGE and is getting lots of ads. I would say the SURGE is dead in St. Paul Minnesota.That is of course without our help.
Here's whay you can do. Even if you dont live in our area, please help, This could happen to you.

1. Call Coke, Both local and nacional.
2. If you live here. Go to stores and stack SURGE on top of Mello Yello.
3. Try to sell SURGE in your store.
4. Switch the prices on Mello Yello with something more expencive.
5. Buy the old (expired) SURGE so the fresh stuff is avalible for people who are gonna try SURGE for the first time or arnt quite as addicted as us.
6. Shift the fresh SURGE to front.
7. BUY LOTS OF SURGE!!!!!!

The reason for this list is not to make Mello Yello look bad. Its to make this fight fair. Coke has been really pushing Mello Yello. But NOT SURGE. What do they expect is gonna happen. Of course Mello Yello is gonna do better, for a little while. Then its gonna fall apart and their gonna wish they still made SURGE. Please Help Us!

[Fixx]

Have you seen the numbers on Surge as of late?? I think you are acknowledging some of it with your comment of buying the old stuff so the new is out there to be purchased by other consumers.
Surges numbers are the following:

- <55%> in the food stores (grocery channel)
- <67%> in the drug channel
- <48%> in the mass merchandiser channel
- <47.5%> in the traditional convenience channel
- <36.1%> in the gas mini mart channel
- <40.5%> in the gas convenience channel
and off just over 50% overall in all channels combined. These are the hard facts.

Best of luck fighting it but I think you are on a loosing battle.
Later.

[Sealude]

What do these numbers mean?? Are these the percentage down numbers??

[psalife]

Yes Fixx. Your numbers sound quite close, where did you find them? I was thinking fairly close to that. Still SURGE seems to have a short shelf life, and I think the expired stuff tastes better ( maybe Im just used to it). Still I dont think its just the flavor thats killing SURGE:

1. SURGE is poorly advertised (atleast here)
2. SURGE is a Coke product ( In my area that means its not "cool" and usally over priced).

I think Coke in general needs to hire a new ad agency becouse the one they have sucks compaired to Pepsi's. Sure Coke ads are cute. But the kids teens and young adults think they are pointless and boring. The same group of people are sing "Joy of Cola" and other Pepsi slogans. SURGE has fair comercials but they need to be more consistent. For 3 months last year Coke advertised SURGE a lot. Since then I havent seen even ONE SURGE ad. Think about it when was the last time you saw a SURGE ad? My thought is SURGE needs to be totaly re-introduced. I will die if SURGE does.SURGE cant possibly be doing as bad as Citra or Mr. Pibb do you have any numbers on them? e-mail me surgefeedtherush@yahoo.com

Thanks,
Avery

[Surge???whats the point??]

Good Gosh......get a grip....with hundreds of choices out there, you mean to tell me that Surge is the one you can't do without??? Please tell me that this is all a joke...a very bad joke.....surely there can't be anyone this deprived of real beverage taste!!

[Fixx]

First off these number have been published into Beverage Industry Magazine in their March, 2000 issue. They get their numbers from a company called Information Resources, Inc. The numbers I have posted on this thread are numbers showing they are off by those percentages over prior year in each specific channel of distribution.

Ok for the person that asked for Citra and Pibb numbers. These numbers are not available because Citra has not been nationally distributed as of yet. As far as Pibb, it too is not in national distribution as of yet.

But here is something interesting when it comes to soft drinks (reg. and low calorie soft drinks, carbonated water/club soda) and your local market.

MARKET % +/- over prior year
Atlanta +7.2%
Baltimore, Wash. DC +3.4%
Boise, ID +13.4%
Boston - .5%
Charlotte, NC +9.5%
Chicago +3.1%
Cleveland +1.9%
Dallas +3.6%
Denver +14.3%
Detroit +8.1%
Indianapolis +2.7%
Little Rock, Ark. +7.2%
Los Angeles -1.0%
Memphis +10.3%
Miami/Ft Lauderdale + .5%
Minneapolis +3.7%
New Orleans/Mobile +3.2%
New York City -2.5%
Okla. City -2.2%
Omaha, NE -4.3%
Philadelphia -1.0%
Phoenix/Tucson +5.3%
Salt Lake City +6.4%
San Francisco/Oakland +6.9%
Seattle/Tacoma -1.0%
St. Louis -6.4%

TOTAL US CATEGORY +4.0%

Now then you all can look at your local market and see what your soft drink sales are by your local region.
Later.

[xJABBERWOCKx]

No more surge? WHOOPEEE!!!
Sadly, though, I don't think it's going anywhere.
Blah, Surge. WHY??

I'm a hard - core Mountain Dew fan, but if coke is the only thing available, I'd take a Mello Yello. If it's coming back, that's good news to me!

Ugh...surge. The ugly can. The stupid ads.. just go away, Surge!

[dr pepperman]

Surge is not for sale where I live. I found some on a road trip last year and brought a six pack home to share with some Mtn Dew drinkers. Two liked it equally to Dew, 1 said he would'nt wash his feet in it. I did not care for either. No one buys Mello Yello unless its on sale for a very hot price.

[dr pepperman]

Today the Coke load came into the store where I work. The driver was excited because he had a new item. It was Mello Yello in the single serve 20oz bottle. Previously Coke only sold MY in 6pack cans. He was excited because it was about time something was brought in to take on Mountian Dew. I asked what about Surge and was told that the Coke dist north of us pulled all Surge off store shelves. He seemed to think Surge is gone. Anyone hear different?

[Fixx]

There are some numbers I posted on how Surge is doing throughout all the major markets vs. last years sales. That truly gives the pull through and not just filling the pipeline.
But the bottom line is Surges numbers are way off vs. last year.
Later.