Now, I am not a huge soda drinker. I do have the occasional Sprite when I’m out for dinner, or Coke when I’m feeling reminiscent of my time abroad in Latin America, but I really don’t drink it all that often. Maybe it’s because I’m a college student on a pretty strict budget and don’t have room for both Nutella and Pepsi in my diet. But one thing I did grow up with, and have become more of an active drinker of now that I am out on my own, is sparkling water.
Within the past two years or so make your own carbonated drink machines became a more desired product. A recent commercial by SodaStream (the leading company in make-your-own-soda) brings into question the competitiveness of SodaStream verses Pepsi and Coke, the worlds leading soda companies. The commercial below was not shown during the SuperBowl as CBS rejected it. With Coke and Pepsi being two of the biggest advertisers during the game, perhaps CBS didn’t want to risk their support. SodaStream now has posted on their website “watch the SodaStream commercial they wouldn’t let you see during the big game”.
The commercial starts with two delivery trucks pulling up in front of a grocery store, one for Pepsi and one for Coke. The deliverymen load up their carts and race to get to the door first, but before they have the chance their bottles explode and with a cut to a handsome man in a dark room, as he pushes down on SodaStream a voice intones, “with SodaStream, we could’ve saved five hundred million bottles on game day alone”.
SodaStream seems to have a lot going for them. They are targeting sustainability in their use of reusable containers, saving money by making your own soda at home, and in a day in age where many people are questioning the health factors related to sugar sweetened beverages carbonated water looks pretty good. You can make your own soda with this machine with added sweetened packages, but according to one YouTube video I watched they contain half the amount of sugar per serving than a normal liter of Coke. Many people are also buying the SodaStream just for carbonating water.
It is a pretty smart deal for SodaStream. The consumer makes an initial investment on the machine (about $80), and then has to refill the proprietary air tanks and if you’re making soda the SodaMixes, both of which you can buy at Target and Crate & Barrel. I don’t know if it’s totally worth the money, but I do think that they are going to give Coke and Pepsi a run for their money.
With both of these two companies running on persuasive advertising, not necessarily new inventive products, and expensive costs SodaStream might be the semi- affordable switch consumers are willing to try. Being able to make your own soda at home takes away some of the mystery soda implies, and if you can make it at home why buy it ever again?
NP 4/30
Stay Thirsty My Friends 