Pointless is a new entry into the mid-calorie CSD set that focuses exclusively on ginger ale.

All four 12 ounce flavors – Original, Lime, Blueberry, and Cranberry – feature cold-pressed ginger juice as their hero ingredient. Original is flavored exclusively with ginger (6% ginger juice), while the fruit varieties have additional juice (12-13% juice total). The SKUs have a modest 35 - 50 calories per can and 6 grams of added cane sugar. 

The low level of sugar content  leaves a good amount of ginger flavor in all four SKUs, with the added carbonated water cutting it to the point of a relatively mild spice. The three fruit flavors  are still quite ginger heavy, with the fruits themselves acting more like accent flavors.

Ultimately, these drink more like what would typically be called ginger beer rather than ginger ale.  Make no mistake: you certainly have to be a fan of ginger (and its associated spice) to enjoy these drinks.  But if you are, these deliver something that’s pretty unique given its very low level of sweetness. The products taste almost as if someone added a shot of ginger juice to a sparkling water.  They are clean, fresh and full of flavor.

Pointless is packaged in a sleek 12 ounce can that features a pressure sensitive label.  Each can has its own unique background colors, but all four are bright and vibrant. The background has a pattern of curves or swirls and there are three to four shades of color used.  On top of this is a host of white text that makes up the branding and label copy.  The Pointless logo has been rotated clockwise and runs vertically down the front of the can. Also running vertically is “ginger ale,” which is directly to the left of the logo. 

There’s a callout for the flavor name at the top as well as an inverted one at the bottom, with the text “store upside down” underneath.  The remaining text on the front panel includes callouts for “made with real ginger,” “cold pressed,” “real fruit” and “no extracts.”

While the text callouts are definitely semi redundant, we have two bits of constructive feedback that feel a bit more pressing. 

First, we think that the overall aesthetic is too busy and lacks the polish worthy of the high quality liquid inside the can. We feel as though a substantive change might be required.  As it stands right now, w there’s a conflict of trying to have a playful “Pointless” brand and trying to be a high quality CSD that’s made with cold pressed ginger juice. 

Second, we don’t think that “ginger ale” is the right way to position this product. Building on what we said earlier, that term neither accurately describes the product or will help create the pretense of quality and freshness. As with many products that offer something a little different, the nuance of how to properly communicate it to the consumer is a challenge that Pointless faces as well.  Perhaps there’s a more creative way to describe this as “powered by ginger” that makes it clear that real ginger is the hero ingredient and differentiator.

Overall, Pointless is a unique take on a ginger flavored CSD. It delivers top notch ginger flavor in a product that also ticks right boxes in terms of calories, sugar, and ingredients. We think that the brand needs to think about its messaging and presentation to achieve its full potential.