Energy DrinkLet’s think about this.

How do we approach the creation and copy writing for

this energy drink?

The product and its words obviously must go hand in hand.

Like all great things…

We start with a question.

What personality would never ever* drink an energy drink as

they are branded now?

*…at least not openly.

Good for focusing.

But let’s return to the hypothetical.

Hypothetical QuoteWhat would this hypothetical person say to their friends if

“Energy Drinks” ever came up in conversation?

“Listen, I know it’s basically glorified coffee – only it usually looks like pee or alien tears – so why are they trying to make me think

that drinking it is going to somehow turn me into a lightning bolt and/or Carmen

Electra? I mean, come on.”

-Traits- what are they, the target consumer, like?

• Ages 21-29 – Have mostly abandoned the mentality of college frat-party keggers

(though vestiges of a wild streak remain) in favor of more of a cocktail nation sensibility; sophistication with a splash of irony

• Classy, not trashy values– Don’t envision selves trashing a hotel room, for example… though

they’d appreciate that doing so is respectably hard-core– Refined, rakish, devil-may-care, but are well-educated, view selves

as kind, pillars of community• Are self-assured to a fault

– i.e. don’t need and won’t happily drink something based on the assumption that they are drinking it to change themselves

• Appreciate a tongue-in-cheek, rebellious, yet modern take on old-school style

How do we reconcile the

values our client wishes to convey:

• Sophistication• Vibrancy• Boldness

•Premium living

the values of this

untapped target audience:

• Authenticity• Unpretentiousness• Aesthetic integrity

• Quirkiness• Old school • Classiness

• Shrewdness• Intelligence

•Self-assurance ?

with

mood boardingI’ve chosen to use a “mood board”/collage technique as

a way to VISUALLY gauge and encapsulate :–a general idea of the color scheme, look & attitude–the vibe & mood of the target consumer

•(age, preference, values, etc…) – key design elements

All so that the process of writing is more intuitive and targeted.

Every aspect of the mood board exemplifies the nuances of

values to be conveyed in the naming and copy of this drink.

Combine old with the new

Tongue-in-cheek

Devil-may-care rebellious

Classy, not trashy

Rough, yet rakish and refined

Conversational & sexy

intelligent

Old fashioned charm & sophistication

vibrantpremium

educated

diverse

bold

colorful

funny

misc

hiev

ous

So, how would this type of person, age 21-29, drink an

energy drink in their everyday life - as they are branded now???

So let’s give them a drink that validates that practice, as well as

their values.

CAN

Can...• Is ironic…this drink keeps it real. • Knows it’s an energy drink and that energy drinks are

intrinsically kinda obnoxious.• Is beautifully colored and thoughtfully flavored on the inside • Has interesting, architectural, tongue in cheek packaging on

the outside.– Why so simple.. plain, even? – Because that’s not what it’s about!

• It’s ABOUT what’s INSIDE.

• Is meant to be poured in a glass, customized to your lifestyle.• Is meant to be recycled, to give back to your community.• Is a throwback that’s a “throw-forward”

• old school for the new school

• …It’s what you do with it that is important to you.– And we know it.

• And respect that.

tm

Can what?

• Be customized -- drink it in what YOU want – it doesn’t matter what we want.

• Drink it however you like. The more diversity the better.

• Be a throwback to a classier time AND reinforce the pros of being fully a 20-something.

• Rediscover drinking as a ritual.• Be about what’s on the INSIDE. Substance.

Customizable

Individual

Aesthetic

Quirky

Unpretentious

Shrewd

Self-aware

Old-School

It’s about what YOU put it in, not what we put it in.

An “Energy Drink 2.0 – in that the customer/consumer is the one calling the shots. If postured as such – backed with a serious commitment to customer involvement – major buzz could be created from the mere concept.

Self-assured

Unpretentious

Quirky

Authentic

Drink a Can how you like it, when you like it, where you like it, and with those you like.

Quirky Aesthetic Unpretentious Intelligent Shrewd

Promotion possibility: contest to design a glass (promoting the customization aspect of Can)

winner gets a SCHOLARSHIP to a design school (parsons, savannah, ?)

Value Education.

Make your Life your own.

You Can.

Make it your own.

Classy

Old school

Unpretentious

Self assured

Online Viral Video

Promotion: series of videos with funny granny giving a series of tips on how to be refined, classy and generally suave – to do with Can and with other obscure manners

A throwback

Ritual Classy Self-assurance Old school Customization Humor Unpretentiousness

Drinking Can isnaturally classy

…even though the ritual of drinking simple cocktails (alcoholic and nonalcoholic) out of glasses has LONG existed…it’s being rediscovered by folks who drink Can.

An amazing discovery!

Tired of judging energy drinks by

their cover?

What’s true of people, cars, etc…is now true of the energy drink – it’s what’s on the inside

that counts.

Lets explicitly do the opposite.

Quirky

Humor

Intelligence

Self assurance

Authenticity

next slideshow: Building a Buzz…comprehensive media strategy

Copyright Lori White 2008