[Business Thread] What do you guys think of Dr Pepper?

[AmeliaG]

I think it is useful to sometimes consider branding issues from other industries.

I like caffeine. I'm an espresso drinker now, but I used to drink Dr. Pepper, even though it was often hard to find.

Do you like the taste of Dr. Pepper? Does it work to pep you up?

What do you think of their brand image, if the soda even has one?

[_Richard_]

bizarre..

[Chris]

in texas dr pepper is more common than coke or pepsi

[brassmonkey]

what???

[Relentless]

They made a terrible mistake a few years ago branding their soda as 'soda for men' and belittling female consumers (who are probably the ones most likely to be writing the grocery list or going to the supermarket for a family). The college aged 'men' they were after likely drink beer or liquor with mixers... if they wanted to go after them they could have taken the angle that Dr. Pepper is a terrific mixer, or is the best thing you can drink when you can't drink beer... without alienating the largest demographic of the consumer population.

The soda itself is sugar water, just like all the rest. People are buying the can and the campaign, not the product itself. Why they thought narrowing their own audience was a good idea is what I do not understand. They claimed 'women will get the joke and not mind' which is not the same as 'women will want to buy it because of this'... and they wasted millions of dollars on broad nationwide TV ads rather than going after smaller niche audiences that are already male dominant the way red bull or mountain dew have done successfully with things like the X Games, which compounded their original error in terms of expense and lost market audience.

That's my

[spazlabz]

I like the taste of Dr Pepper especially when it is really cold but it tends to make me a bit 'burpy'

[Rochard]

My wife loves Diet Dr. Pepper.

I think the cola wars between Pepsi and Coke are interesting. I remember the taste tests in the 1980s. I took the test, and that's when I switched from Coke over to Pepsi.

I also find it interesting that Americans are consuming less and less soda each year.

[newB]

I think they should have a commercial with present day David Naughton going to the fridge one evening for a soda. He looks out the window to see the full moon and turns into a werewolf. With the soda still in his hand, he takes a swig then launches into the whole "I'm a pepper" song and dance - perhaps with fellow Pepper and American Werewolf alum Griffin Dunne as singing/dancing zombie accompaniment.

That is the extent of my thoughts on Dr. Pepper.

[AsianDivaGirlsWebDude]

They made a terrible mistake a few years ago branding their soda as 'soda for men' and belittling female consumers (who are probably the ones most likely to be writing the grocery list or going to the supermarket for a family). The college aged 'men' they were after likely drink beer or liquor with mixers... if they wanted to go after them they could have taken the angle that Dr. Pepper is a terrific mixer, or is the best thing you can drink when you can't drink beer... without alienating the largest demographic of the consumer population.

The soda itself is sugar water, just like all the rest. People are buying the can and the campaign, not the product itself. Why they thought narrowing their own audience was a good idea is what I do not understand. They claimed 'women will get the joke and not mind' which is not the same as 'women will want to buy it because of this'... and they wasted millions of dollars on broad nationwide TV ads rather than going after smaller niche audiences that are already male dominant the way red bull or mountain dew have done successfully with things like the X Games, which compounded their original error in terms of expense and lost market audience.

That's my

ADG

[scuba steve]

dr pepper is great. and i am from texas originally so i am biased

[Klen]

I wanted to buy it when i was in shopping in Graz,noticed store which was selling american beverages but didn't had any money left.Should i buy it next time when i will be there?

[AmeliaG]

I like the taste of Dr Pepper especially when it is really cold but it tends to make me a bit 'burpy'

That's interesting that you say that as I used to put a can in the freezer for a few minutes before drinking it when I had it at home.

[AmeliaG]

My wife loves Diet Dr. Pepper.

I think the cola wars between Pepsi and Coke are interesting. I remember the taste tests in the 1980s. I took the test, and that's when I switched from Coke over to Pepsi.

I also find it interesting that Americans are consuming less and less soda each year.

Did you try Dr. Pepper when you did the taste test?

[anthonyb5615]

I drink water. its better for you.

[AmeliaG]

Chris and scuba Steve, what is the Texas connection?

[mineistaken]

I wanted to buy it when i was in shopping in Graz,noticed store which was selling american beverages but didn't had any money left.Should i buy it next time when i will be there?

I like it, but its nothing special. Something like cherry coke etc. Not like cherry coke, different, but towards that.

[jmcb420]

I attempt to avoid soda altogether, considering how much sugar it contains. But I do like Dr. Pepper. It's one of my favorites.

I attempt to avoid soda altogether, considering how much sugar it contains.

Says the same guy who unrepentantly drinks beer like they're going to quit making it.

Says the same guy who unrepentantly drinks beer like they're going to quit making it.

Hey, fuck you personality number 2. We're talking about soda. Dr. Pepper in particular. So shut the fuck up.

That guy's an asshole. Fuck.

[L-Pink]

ADG

[nexcom28]

Who is this doctor pepper you speak of?

[mineistaken]

Who is this doctor pepper you speak of?

carbonated drink, like coca cola, sprite etc.

[SilentKnight]

Dr. Pepper was somewhat hard to find when I was a lot younger...so we didn't drink a lot of it back then.

But does anyone remember Pop Shoppe pop? They had a very distinctive red label branding back in the 70s. I still remember their black cherry flavour (loaded with sugar...but damn tasty to a youngster).

[georgeyw]

Tastes absolutely terrible. They tried to sell it here a few years back and I made the mistake of buying it and before that, I never knew you could create that bad of a taste with a sugary drink.

[LeRoy]

Yummy with Doritos

and just in case anyone still thinks its Carbonated prune juice..http://www.snopes.com/business/secret/drpepper.asp

[Mr Pheer]

what is the Texas connection?

It was invented in Waco, TX in 1885, a year before coca-cola.

At first it didnt have a name, people just called it a "Waco" but the inventor named it Dr. Pepper after his girlfriend's father before he took it to the Louisiana Purchase Expo (a world fair-type thing) in 1904.

Original bottling plant is in Dublin, TX and true Dr Pepper fans used to look at the bottling location printed on the can or bottle and pass it up if it didnt say is was bottled in Dublin, because it tasted better when it came from there. Or at least to me, it did.

[_Richard_]

It was invented in Waco, TX in 1885, a year before coca-cola.

At first it didnt have a name, people just called it a "Waco" but the inventor named it Dr. Pepper after his girlfriend's father before he took it to the Louisiana Purchase Expo (a world fair-type thing) in 1904.

Original bottling plant is in Dublin, TX and true Dr Pepper fans used to look at the bottling location printed on the can or bottle and pass it up if it didnt say is was bottled in Dublin, because it tasted better when it came from there. Or at least to me, it did.

thanks for this

[~Ray]

drink it over a big glass of ice

[Vendzilla]

What's weird about Dr Pepper, depending on where you live, it can be either distributed by Pepsi or Coca Cola.
I like the diet DP

[Bourke]

it tastes like fucking cough syrup. Gross.
We have an American style diner not far from my place, the burgers are awesome but they stock American Coke. The difference between US and Aussie coca cola is incredible. Yours is SOOOO much sweeter. Way too sweet.

[ruff]

I think it is useful to sometimes consider branding issues from other industries.

I like caffeine. I'm an espresso drinker now, but I used to drink Dr. Pepper, even though it was often hard to find.

Do you like the taste of Dr. Pepper? Does it work to pep you up?

What do you think of their brand image, if the soda even has one?

Dr. Pepper is our favorite drink here in Miami. You cannot tell the difference from the regular and the diet. There is no better.

[baddog]

I have an inherent mistrust of anyone in the medical profession.

[Chosen]

I don't think of Dr Pepper.

[Mutt]

I love Dr. Pepper but for whatever reason I never buy it, Coke or Niagara Dry Ginger Ale for me. I get cravings for different flavors of pop occasionally - Orange Crush, Grape Crush, Lime Crush.

There's a grapefruity citrus soda pop that I love but impossible to find now, it's still made but most stores don't carry it.

WINK from Canada Dry.

[JFK]

I don't think of Dr Pepper.

great choice

[Seth Manson]

it tastes like fucking cough syrup. Gross.

You're not drinking it cold enough

[HerPimp]

I Love it, but stopped because I hate that they use high fructose corn syrup instead of sugar.

[AllAboutCams]

I love it but sometimes hard to find here cherry coke is good also but what i really miss is Canada dry never seen that here.

[SBJ]

ADG

I had that once but thought it tasted like shit just like all diet drinks..

I love Dr Pepper though and it's the only soft drink I drink. When I can find it I also love Cherry Dr Pepper.

[AmeliaG]

It was invented in Waco, TX in 1885, a year before coca-cola.

At first it didnt have a name, people just called it a "Waco" but the inventor named it Dr. Pepper after his girlfriend's father before he took it to the Louisiana Purchase Expo (a world fair-type thing) in 1904.

Original bottling plant is in Dublin, TX and true Dr Pepper fans used to look at the bottling location printed on the can or bottle and pass it up if it didnt say is was bottled in Dublin, because it tasted better when it came from there. Or at least to me, it did.

That's really interesting. Thanks

I knew it was a year older than Coca-Cola, but not any of the rest of the history. Sort of seems unfair with Coke being such a champion brand and people not having a sense of what Dr. Pepper is (from a branding perspective). But it used to frustrate the heck out of me, when Dr. Pepper was my caffeine of preference, that it was so hard to find, so I am biased because I like the taste so much better.

[MediaGuy]

I think it is useful to sometimes consider branding issues from other industries.

I like caffeine. I'm an espresso drinker now, but I used to drink Dr. Pepper, even though it was often hard to find.

Do you like the taste of Dr. Pepper? Does it work to pep you up?

What do you think of their brand image, if the soda even has one?

I *love* Dr Pepper above most widespread soft drinks. The closest for me (and montrealers actually because it's a smoked-meat-jewish-food-fave) is Cott's Black Cherry!

When I was a kid it was only available in the US (I'm CAD).

Nowadays the Pepper has hit a snark with that whole marketing stupidity but hey we all go through it. It hasn't taken away my personal "image" of Dr.Pepper as the vacation/trailer-home/camping cola... almost exotic. And now we have it in Montreal heh.

I never took it to be a "caffeine thing" because back in the day, when I was stuck in some Kansas drought heatwave waiting for the Grateful Dead (couldn't look at a steaming hot cup of Dunkin's coffee) I discovered Jolt! cola - 'nuf said!

They made a terrible mistake a few years ago branding their soda as 'soda for men' and belittling female consumers (who are probably the ones most likely to be writing the grocery list or going to the supermarket for a family).

...

That's my

Agreed!

I think they should have a commercial with present day David Naughton going to the fridge one evening for a soda. He looks out the window to see the full moon and turns into a werewolf. With the soda still in his hand, he takes a swig then launches into the whole "I'm a pepper" song and dance - perhaps with fellow Pepper and American Werewolf alum Griffin Dunne as singing/dancing zombie accompaniment.

In the post-Twilight world this would rock - connecting us oldies from the Naughton werewolf days to the modern one...

Did you try Dr. Pepper when you did the taste test?

No, nobody could have! Pepsi and Coke may have similar enough tastes for a "challenge" but there's no way Dr.Pepper could be mistaken for any other cola - not even BlackCherry!

:D

[jmcb420]

When my friends and I went camping, we use to mix Dr. Pepper with 151 in a 20 oz bottle. Take a drink, pour in more 151. Few more drinks, more 151, so on and so forth.

My friends called it Tommy Peckers. I just called it a damn fine introduction to the possibility of alcohol poisoning.

Good times.

[ErectMedia]

Use to drink it a long time ago, today prefer Mr.Pibb, Pepsi and Cherry Coke.

[DirtyDreamer]

They need a reward program like Coke has but not like Pepsi. I hate Dr. Pepper's 1 in 8 Wins promos that they always do (I think it's music this time around). I used to love it as an alternate to Pepsi (I never could stand Coke very much). My favorite use for Dr. Pepper is to mix with Jack Daniels.

[boziffous]

I switch back and forth every couple of years between Dr. Pepper and Coke as my favorite soda.

Like some have mentioned in this thread, the colder it is the better. At room temp Dr. Pepper doesn't taste very good.

I Love it, but stopped because I hate that they use high fructose corn syrup instead of sugar.

They still use cane sugar at the Dr. Pepper Bottling Company in Dublin, TX. Probably pretty hard to find unless your in Texas though.

[JimmyStephans]

Heat your Dr. Pepper up in the microwave and drink it like tea....

Been taking it to cold outdoor events such as Bronco games or skiing since the 70s

[the Shemp]

i usually pour a can of it in a pot and boil it down to a syrup, then pour it on vanilla ice cream ...

[jódete]

I think it is useful to sometimes consider branding issues from other industries.

I like caffeine. I'm an espresso drinker now, but I used to drink Dr. Pepper, even though it was often hard to find.

Do you like the taste of Dr. Pepper? Does it work to pep you up?

What do you think of their brand image, if the soda even has one?

this coming from businesswoman of the year ????

[mineistaken]

this coming from businesswoman of the year ????
[/IMG]

Where did you get voting results?

[Captain Kawaii]

In LA, McDonald's always markets the annual launch of the mcrib sandwich with dr. pepper. fairly blatant something or another.

I liked it very cold with cuban sandwiches back in ybor city/florida but gave up soda a while back.

[Supz]

hands down the best soda ever.

[JFK]

Fitty Dr's