Unwell Hydration Kiwi Pineapple
Unwell Hydration is the new beverage play from podcaster Alex Cooper (of Call Her Daddy fame) in collaboration with Nestlé. The initial line of three flavors launched in January and the latest addition is Kiwi Pineapple, which promises rapid hydration and focus benefits with B vitamins, electrolytes and caffeine from green coffee extract in each 16.9 oz. bottle.
Things that stand out:
- This is a crushable beverage that goes down easy with a sweet flavor in line with other sports and hydration drinks on the market.
- Caffeine gives the brand a differentiated edge from competitors in the hydration set.
- The packaging is clean with a premium look and feel.
Things to consider:
- The Unwell brand has done well for Cooper so far with her media business “The Unwell Network,” but we remain unsure if using a negative term will translate outside of her existing audience.
- It’s not clear what ingredient the “Focus” benefit is meant to come from.
- It would be helpful to list caffeine content by milligrams.
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BPM is a line of nitro-infused, dairy-free cold brew lattes in 12 oz slim cans, available in three flavors — Oat Milk, Salted Caramel and Vanilla Almond — plus an unflavored black coffee SKU.
Things that stand out:
- The three lattes are well-crafted: with 25 grams cane sugar each can, they’re unquestionably, unapologetically sweet but balanced and blended with smooth oat milk just right.
- Indulgent plant-based lattes with organic natural ingredients feels like a segment with some white space.
Things to consider:
- Use of natural flavors, gums and oils may steer away some consumers.
- Packaging doesn’t tell larger story around the brand; in crowded space, needs to give consumers a hook.
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Cómo No, which is Spanish for “Why not?”, is a three-SKU line of caffeinated sparkling waters that are unsweetened and contain zero calories. Each 12 ounce can contains 100mg of caffeine, with 80mg from green tea and 20mg from guarana. The brand joins a handful of others that are offering this as an alternative to energy drinks.
Things that stand out:
- Slick branding that looks like something from a tequila or cannabis brand. It’s very different than your average flavored sparkling water, in a good way.
- Caffeine is well understood and allows the brand to avoid casting itself as a standard energy drink.
- All three flavors are enjoyable, but the Mango Chile was the star of the show for us. It has a more assertive, slightly spicy flavor and stands out against the broader flavored sparkling water category.
Things to consider:
- “Cómo No” might be a hard phrase to brand and the “Caffeine in water? Why not?” has already been answered by other brands.
- The label hierarchy and copy could be fine-tuned. We see no value in the “focus, sustain” repeat that’s at the top of the can (after all, it’s just caffeine) and the flavor name should probably be near the bottom – perhaps in the same box as the “Caffeinated Sparkling Water” callout.
- Promoting the fact that the drinks are unsweetened and zero calorie would be a good thing for the front label.
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Rockaway Soda is a line of low-calorie carbonated soft drinks with only 7 grams of sugar per 12 ounce can. Flavors include Berry Hibiscus, Pineapple Ginger, Lemon Lemongrass and Watermelon Guava.
Things that stand out:
- Mellow, clean flavor profiles across the lineup. There’s just a hint of sweetness to these products and we’re fans of all four SKUs.
- Unique looking design that uses black and white illustrations paired with a single accent color for the logo and flavor name. We think this should stand out.
- Very simple value proposition that has been paired with really nice execution of the branding and liquid. We think this could have broad potential.
Things to consider:
- A front of package callout for the drink’s relatively low level of calories would definitely help it avoid being confused for a full calorie product.
- While “born in NYC” might help with the brand’s local market, the real estate at the top of the can could probably be better utilized for something more impactful.
- Better communicating that this brand is about simple, clean, and enjoyable flavor would be helpful in catching consumers’ attention.
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