This week, Dr Pepper launched a new product, Dr Pepper 10. It isn’t the product that’s bold – a soft drink with only ten calories – but the way that the company is reaching out to their target market.
Dr. Pepper recognized an opportunity to expand their market share by reaching out to health-conscious men who want to maintain their masculinity. Thus, they created the new alternative to diet soda with only ten “manly” calories. After segmenting the market and choosing to target this group, they created a solid marketing campaign that positions the product as a new drink for manly men. From the packaging – gunmetal silver, to the slogan “No women allowed”, to the testosterone drenched advertisements that feature all things macho – ATVs, jungle adventures, and strong men crushing cans with one hand, Dr. Pepper positions their product as “the manly diet soda”.
Dr.Pepper was able to create this new product category because they put in the effort to conduct market research that signaled to them that men avoid diet sodas (even if they are concerned about their health) because they seem too feminine. With the product development of Dr. Pepper 10, the company has found a way to target men directly through a single-position strategy, which allows them to maintain the image and marketing strategy of the main Dr.Pepper brand, in order to keep existing consumers on board.
Of course there will be the handful of feminists who scream “misogyny!”, but overall, I think most people can recognize the humour and marketing brilliance of the campaign. Check it out yourself at their facebook page!