Beverage Marketing Consumers

The beverage industry is highly competitive yet we continue to see new beverage products all the time. It may seem like the large beverage manufacturers dictate the market, but consumers apparently feel otherwise. Beverage marketing can level the playing field for a smaller producer. Innovative beverage design and a multi-faceted advertising, promotions and public relations program can catapult a well-positioned brand and make it competitive with the larger players. The beverage industry is a dynamic marketplace. Consumer tastes vary widely between regions and they change over time. As demographics of a region shift, so do consumer tastes in that region. In a competitive environment, it is imperative especially for a small company, to draw on every asset at its disposal. Astute marketing professionals will act as stewards of a brand, understand market dynamics, conduct and analyze research, become knowledgeable about competitive activity, stay at the leading edge of trends, and develop marketing programs that are effective. Marketing plays an important role in reinvigorating a mature brand, but nowhere is it more essential than when launching a new product. A top beverage marketing company will employ in-house testers and conduct consumer-testing trial before launching a new beverage product. Having a streamlined marketing program will allow a producer to capitalize on opportunities that may have not been predicted, launch a new product with shorter lead time than it's competitors, and stay at the forefront of the consumer's mind.

Carbonated Soft Drinks History

Currently, Coca-Cola is still the largest soft drink manufacturer in the world. The American beverage industry is comprised of many different categories. Carbonated soft drinks (CSDs) and their diet counterparts, continue to be some of the most popular, hence the extensive network of soft drink manufacturers. Since the early days of our nation's history, carbonated soft drinks have occupied a unique place in the hearts, minds and palates of the American consumer thanks to the soft drink manufacturers. The term soft drink comes from the phrase 'soda water,' dating back to 1798. Local pharmacists handled soft drink creation and soda fountains. Experience with chemistry and medicine were the needed skills. As the local drugstore evolved into the central attraction in most American towns and neighborhoods, the pharmacist was integral in providing beverages that were part pharmacology and part refreshment. In 1835, the first bottled soda water marked the beginning of carbonated soft drink manufacturing in the U.S. By 1876, root beer entered the marketplace, but it was not until five years later that the first cola-flavored beverage was unveiled. Soft drink manufacturers were about to become very busy. It would be more than 70 years before the introduction of the first 'official' diet soft drink in 1952. This marked a significant change for the soft drink manufacturing industry. In 1958, RC Cola introduced Diet Rite, the first nationally distributed diet soft drink. Tab, Fresca and Diet Pepsi entered the marketplace in the 1960s; Sugar-free 7UP in 1970; and Diet Coke made its debut in 1982. Soft drink manufacturers were in full stride by this point. According to Beverage Digest, in 2006 the U.S. carbonated soft drink market totaled 10.16 billion cases. Most of these products came from the American soft drink manufacturing industry.