GAMER

Product Type:Functional: Energy Drink: Regular; Container: 12 oz glass bottle
BevNET Review: The Citrus variety of Gamer is a pleasant tasting caffeine and B vitamin enhanced CSD. It’s sweetened with sugar and contains no coloring, giving the product the appearance of being better than competing brands. Flavor is good, but not original, with a stock citrus flavor that tastes like any number of other brands. At this point, that might be a choice based on financial necessity, but it’s a choice that definitely limits how enjoyable and memorable the product is. The concept of adding functional ingredients to this product seems like a sound one, although 22 mg of caffeine (per 12 oz.) and 1.5mg of vitamin B1 aren’t going to be enough to satisfy the type of consumer that’s seeking a boost. And on the outside, there’s the Gamer brand, which, with a video game controller replacing one of the letters in the logo, is hard to misinterpret. However, we think that their approach is too direct, to the point where it’s likely to damage the brand’s image with the target demographic. Overall, it’s good, but not great, with improvement needed in taste as well as branding.Reviewed on: 6/10/2010

Product Type:Functional: Energy Drink: Regular; Container: 12 oz glass bottle
BevNET Review: As far as cherry sodas go, this one is certainly quite drinkable, with a sugar sweetened formulation that’s crisp and clean. The cherry flavor is rather mellow, while a heavy dose of carbonation gives it some pop in your mouth. The lack of red coloring plays some tricks on the senses, but we like it. After all, no one likes having a red colored mouth after drinking cherry soda. Plus, if the product is being consumed by gamers – who are likely distracted with the game they are playing – having no color certainly makes a spill less of an issue. The functional ingredients to this product are B vitamins (1.5mg) and caffeine (22mg per 12 oz)., although in both cases the levels are lower than what you’ll find in other competing products. That being said, the functional side of the product could use some work if it’s going to be taken seriously. From a branding point of view, it’s obvious who they are marketing to, but we think it might be a bit too direct. Ultimately, calling it Gamer is too direct, which we think will reduce its ability to be “cool” with the target demographic. Overall, it’s nice tasting as far as CSDs go, but we think that being more subtle with the branding and increasing the functional ingredients will improve this product’s chances of success.Reviewed on: 6/10/2010