Seriously, how can anyone think that this is a good idea:
An energy drink called Cocaine has been pulled from stores nationwide amid concerns about its name, the company that produces it said Monday.
Clegg Ivey, a partner in Redux Beverages LLC of Las Vegas, Nevada, said the company plans to sell the drink under a new name for now.
The Food and Drug Administration issued a warning letter last month that said Redux was illegally marketing the drink as a street drug alternative and a dietary supplement. May 4 was the deadline for the company to respond.
More from CNN.
Before this, I’ve never heard of this drink before. But looking at the website (DrinkCocaine.com), I’m glad I never saw it. In the ever-growing, ever-crowded field of energy drinks, this is just poorly thought out branding in a horrible attempt to be edgy.
With the company being forced to market the product under a new name, what is the angle going to be? The Wikipedia entry for the drink says that the company claims that the drink is 350% stronger than other energy drinks. Start over and build a brand about that. My guess is that the new name isn’t going to help much.
Distinguish your product from your competitors. Build the brand around that. Don’t build the brand about hype or a gimmicky name.