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@@img1ATLANTA – It’s not your traditional sports drink, it ‘s a whole new “OPTION” for active people seeking hydration for any occasion throughout the day. POWERade OPTION(TM), a low-calorie, low-carbohydrate sports drink from The Coca-Cola Company, is now available at retail store shelves nationwide.
As part of the launch, Coca-Cola also has instituted a “Great Taste” money-back guarantee today based on initial positive feedback from consumers.
According to the company, if consumers don’t agree new POWERade OPTION tastes great, they will receive a full refund.
POWERade OPTION is a low-calorie sports drink that provides electrolytes and B-complex vitamins at levels comparable to regular POWERade, but with 80 percent fewer calories than Gatorade(R). POWERade OPTION, which is sweetened with a blend of Sucralose, Ace-K and HFCS, contains just ten calories per 8-fl. oz. serving.
POWERade OPTION also delivers on taste. National consumer taste tests(1) indicate POWERade OPTION Strawberry and Black Cherry flavors are preferred to Propel Fitness Water(R) Berry and Black Cherry flavors, respectively (among those indicating a preference), while preference among Lemon flavors is evenly split.
“Consumers told us they wanted a low-calorie sports drink that didn’t sacrifice great taste, and we’ve delivered on that with POWERade OPTION,” said Mary Herrera, director of marketing for sports & energy drinks, Coca-Cola North America. “We have been overwhelmed with the positive feedback this product has received, and sales continue to exceed expectations. Combine this initial feedback with the results from the taste test against Propel, and it was an easy decision to initiate the ‘Great Taste’ money-back guarantee.”
The announcement of the money-back guarantee will coincide with a full- page ad that is scheduled to run in the Sept. 13 edition of USA Today. An integrated marketing campaign also is supporting the full U.S. rollout, including national print advertising in sports, health and fitness magazines, in-store merchandising and promotions, public relations and online sponsorship programs.
In addition, sampling teams are hitting the streets to offer people a first taste of POWERade OPTION, with stops at special events in key markets across the country.
POWERade OPTION is available in Strawberry, Black Cherry and Lemon flavors, and can be found in the sports drink section of supermarkets, mass retail locations, convenience stores and vending machines. Sold in 32-ounce bottles and new easy-to-grip, proprietary 20-ounce single bottles and six- packs, POWERade OPTION is competitively priced with sports drinks on the market.
The Coca-Cola Company is the world’s largest beverage company. Along with Coca-Cola, recognized as the world’s most valuable brand, the Company markets four of the world’s top five soft drink brands, including Diet Coke, Fanta and Sprite, and a wide range of other beverages, including diet and light soft drinks, waters, juices and juice drinks, teas, coffees and sports drinks.
Through the world’s largest beverage distribution system, consumers in more than 200 countries enjoy the Company’s beverages at a rate exceeding 1 billion servings each day. For more information about The Coca-Cola Company, please visit our Web site at http://www.coca-cola.com/ .
(1) The Coca-Cola Company Knowledge & Insights, April 2005
For more info please contact: Ray Crockett of The Coca-Cola Company, +1-404-676-1070, or rcrockett@na.ko.com ; or Tim Laughlin of Fast Horse Inc. for The Coca-Cola Company, +1-612-746-4615, or timl@fasthorseinc.com