Mello Yello VS Surge VS Vault

[David J.]

As I posted elsewhere... Coke just needs to stick with one citrus drink, maybe steal some of Mountain Dew's thunder.

In my area, Mello Yello was gone for a while, then it came back, and now it is gone.

Really, Coke is (was) sending really mixed messages to the masses. "Hey, it's Mello Yello, oh wait, it's now Surge, now it's Mello Yello again, oh crap now it's Vault!" Also, advertising and distributing it was lackluster (wait they advertised Mello Yello and Vault?!). Coke needs to realize that Mountain Dew is a major seller for Pepsi, and every place that has Pepsi serves Mountain Dew and it is a BIG seller.

None of the resturants in my area serve Mello Yello in the fountains because Dr. Pepper replaced Mello Yello in many markets. I just ask: Why? Where I work fifteen people a day ask if we have Mountain Dew. Burger King doesn't serve Mello Yello (I work there sadly) and neither does McDonalds serve Mello Yello. However, Subway serves Mello Yello, in the fountains and in 20oz bottle, and expensive. Yet the Wendy's in my area still serve Pepsi -- go figure.

Coke needs to stick with one citrus soda, and make all places that serve Coke, serve one of these drinks. I don't know about your area, but my area sucks. That and advertise it.

Just my two cents... Coke could keep Mello Yello and Vault on the market at the same time, in stores and at resturants.

[SURGE]

Coke will keep VAULT for atleast 3 years- even if it fails horribly- just to save face. I dont think that is gonna happen but its possible. If VAULT does decent or better I think you will see Coke try and build the brand slowly (like Sierra Mist, or Powerade). I dont think we will see the speratic advertising we saw with SURGE (which murdered the brand IMHO). Nor will we see the very weak and shortlived launch that Mello Yello saw a few years back (the TV commericals were ok).

Obviously Coke will make some mistakes with VAULT (they already have made some minor ones) but at the same time its quite clear that they finally understand that the only way to build a brand is slowly and with some level of consistant advertising. This is clearly reflected in Coke's pledge to re-invest the first 2 years worth of profits from the brand back into it.

MY will stick around in very select markets for the time being as well but I don't think Coke will make the mistake of a national reintroduction ever- at this point the name is so toxic to sales that even a good product (like MY Mellon) would die a quick death. Still Coke recognizes that MY has fans in the southeast and unless VAULT changes that MY will be around for the near future.

[David J.]

It's just sticking with one product is what they need to do.

I never saw any Mello Yello commericals, I think. Oh god, I remember the mass advertising of SURGE, I was 8-9 when it first came out and even I knew the mass advertising was bad.

[mjb1124]

I actually saw Mello Yello ads for a while in my local Regal Cinemas. Funny thing is that as far as I can remember, they've never sold Mello Yello in my area, save for the ocassional fountain.

As for the David J's thought...I have a strong feeling that Coke may finally have gotten it right with Vault. Mello Yello, in my humble opinion, is just a third-rate ripoff of Mountain Dew, no better than a store brand Dew clone. And with Surge, I think they just screwed up the marketing big time. Case in point: the over-the-top ads, the cheesy first logo, and the fact that they were so quick to pull it from the market.

So far, they're doing pretty well with Vault: the logo looks a lot more dignified, the ads convey a high-energy image without taking it to an extreme, and the drink itself is a lot better and more distinctive than Mello Yello in my book. I think the fact that they have a diet version (and a very good one IMO) will help too. Only time will tell if they give Vault a chance to find its footing.

[ 04-14-2006, 03:33 PM: Message edited by: mikibacsi1124 ]

[David J.]

I think Coke has it right so far this time, but there needs to be a a fountain version -- fast, and have it everywhere. See, Mello Yello was never a huge product here, because there is a big Pepsi bottler here, and prefrence.

And I liked the first Surge logo over the second one. Good times, good times.

[SURGE]

No worries a ofuntain version will be here- most areas dont even have multipacks yet so and fountain is always last- this summer towords the end expect VAULT fountains. As well as ICEEs.

[David J.]

OK, there will be a fountain version, but I still doubt it'll be at Burger King's in my area. There is limited space -- kind of, and so many people are used to our crappy drink selection. As for Mcdonald's, I think the ones in my area had Surge when it was kicking so there is a good chance. I'd love to have a nice vault with the new spicy chicken sandwich -- yum!

The Burger Kings in my area suck. I'm a college student working there, and ugh, the food is awful and so is the job.

[METAL HOUSTON]

I love Mello Yello and have since the 70s!
As I kid, I used to run around screaming "Yahoo Mountain Dew" until I saw an ad on TV about "The Worlds Fastest Soft Drink". I tried some and Mello Yello has been my favorite ever since. I tried Surge but didn't care for it at all - I would rather drink a Dr Pepper (which I can't stand), I've tried Vault and though I like it better than I did Surge, Mountain Dew is better...C'mon Coke, Mello Yello is best!
Unfortunately for me, they quit selling Mello Yello here in Houston, Texas but when I go to visit my family in Mississippi, I buy five or six 12 or 24 packs to bring home. When I run out, I just say "it's time to visit my family again".
I have discovered two places here where I can find Mello Yello and they are Chuck E Cheese's Pizza and Cracker Barrel. I had known about Chuck E Cheese's for a few years but just a few weeks ago when I went out with some family here in Houston, I (for fun) said "Mello Yello" when the waitress asked what we wanted to drink and to my surprise, she brought me a glass of it. I then asked why it wasn't on the menu and I was told that they just got it a couple of weeks ago and haven't updated the menu yet.
In the 70s and early 80s, Mello Yello was sold here in Houston and suddenly they stopped selling it. They started again in 89/90 and suddenly quit again and then they sold it again in 2000 and stopped again. In 89/90, I saw NO advertising for Mello Yello in Houston but saw a few ads in the news paper in 2000. Yet every time I mention Mello yello to anyone here (anyone who knows what it is), they say they didn't even know it was made anymore and thought it died in the 70s.
I think if Coke would do a "retro" thing and re-use some of the 70s TV ads, when trying to sell it in areas like Houston, where it hasn't been heard of for years, it might sell better.
So until then, the 3 places to drink Mello Yello in Houston are Chuck E Cheese's, Cracker Barrel and my house. lol
"IT'S THE WORLDS FASTEST SOFT DRINK AND HERE IT COMES....."

[.:.[S.H.C.].:.]

I think Vault should walk off the face of the earth

[.:.[S.H.C.].:.]

and i agree, coke should stick to one citrus drink...and vault isint it