I noticed the graphic design out of my peripheral vision because it looked like one of my favorite soft drink confections: Diet Cherry Vanilla Dr. Pepper. Mmmmm - I could go for one of those right about now. Anyway, the point is that these guys probably have it right, but are they trying too hard to doop people into buying their product? Are they just copycats? What if they just made an original and called it whatever they wanted? Would it sell? Maybe this is why I am not in advertising....
Of course this made me think of a St. Louis original that had been doing the same thing for many many years - Vess. Anyone who grew up in St. Louis in the 70s 80s and/or 90s knows Vess. I don't know if they make soda anymore, but they had the same marketing approach: make a drink that tastes just like Dr. Pepper and name it something that borders dangerously on copyright infringement. They called it Dr. Vess.... Classic!
While we're on the subject. Why is it that coloquial dialogue dictates what we call soft drinks? Here in St. Louis it is 'soda', but up north and west it is 'pop' (is Dr. Pop made up north or out west???)... Wonder what they call it out east and down south?
If you've got any more good product naming ripoffs or any more terms meaning "soft drink", throw them in the comments. I promise, guys, this blog will get better, but this is the kind of material to expect most of the time. The next blog will be the story of my recent trip to Lake Tahoe, and it will be a geed wan!
Stay Tuned...
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i think 'DR THUNDER' is Walmart's rip-off dr pepper brand. hahaha
ReplyDeleteYou're right!
ReplyDeleteI guess there's no better way to say "Hey folks, it tastes just fucking like Dr. Pepper, okay!" other than throwing a Dr. on the front of an obligatory second word... haha!
I know when I went to college, I met people who called soda or pop "cola"...so when you really want a 7-up or a sprite, you still ask for a "cola" or do you say can i have the "white cola"...very weird to me, although, I was considered weird when I first got to Stl and called soft drinks pop, so I guess I can understand!
ReplyDeleteThat last comment was by me... whoops :)
ReplyDeletethere is a grocery store in Cali, and their Dr. Pepper rip off is...Dr. Skipper!!!! We have a can of it, just in case an occasion arises, and it's called Diet Dr. Skipper!!! We have the can to prove it...
ReplyDeleteMatt showed me a picture of the Dr. Skipper.... hilarious. I felt like I was there!!!
ReplyDeleteDown South they're all called "cokes" ...lazy asses. :)
ReplyDeleteWell Nikki beat me to Dr. Skipper, but I wanted to bring it up meself. Remember on my MySpace, I had a whole series of pictures? I wanted you to feel like you were right there with me in Mexico, Hollywood Blvd, and Venice Beach.
ReplyDeleteYeah, Matt - I remember being on the beach and going bowling, amongst other things... haha!
ReplyDeleteJackie, Weltig made that same comment, but had a hard time posting it :). He said down south you order a coke and they ask you what kind of coke you want... haha!!!