I disagree that Coke keeps small independent companies from having any real presence – while it may be true in some places, Glacéau had a HUGE presence in the states before it was bought out! And I don’t think it was really *that* small either . . . and the companies always have the opportunity to NOT sell out . . .

While I agree that mostly large multinational companies can do alot of bad, they can do alot of good too. Coke in NZ sponsors alot of initiatives that would otherwise not happen. For example, I know they sponsor Youthline, and The Oscar Foundation. I’m sure they are doing good in most places they operate in.

And in such a consumer driven market it makes sense that there would be SOME multinational giants out there, and yet small companies still manage to survive (Foxton Fizz is a prime example, its a small independent company that is still going strong in NZ). *shrug*

While I don’t necessarily root for the big multinational companies, I accept that they do what they do and as such I got products I wouldn’t otherwise have the pleasure of consuming . . .

And I dunno . . . after all this talk and having taken the stance that Nutrient Water ripped all their ideas from Vitamin Water, I don’t think I’m down with supporting NW anymore. I think I’ll just wait for Coke to deliver VW to NZ.

Oh yeah, and a fan with too much time on her hands… or probably more accurately, a job where I am all too happy to look for distraction and procrastinate in any way I can – all while drinking my fav Nutrient Water of course!! :)

Also, as a new start up company, Coke developed, well, Coke, which was pretty unique for its time. There has been many attempts at producing something similar (say Pepsi, or budget versions of ‘Cola’), but Coke still remains the most familiar and popular (at least in NZ, and from personal experience. I can’t say that’s true from the rest of the world without some research to back that up). Also, their marketing concepts from the beginning till now have generally been pretty unique, and Coke are always refining their image for that product.

Unfortunately Nutrient Water didn’t just take the product (ie, enhanced water), but the marketing concepts AND the package concepts, and tinkered with them before releasing into a new market. You can’t call it a ‘trend’ when (to quote richardjackson.org) ‘the names, ingredients (acai berry, pomegranate), label design, concept, even the quasi-whimsical marketing text on the labels are bemusingly similar . . . even right down to the references to “a certain” famous person’.

A trend by definition is ‘the direction in which the market is heading’, and brands like Mizone, h2Go, Powerade and many many more managed to introduce products into the enhanced water market with original marketing concepts . . . could Nutrient Water not have done the same?

While it probably made Nutrient Water alot of money, its definitely opened up alot of controversy for them. It started a debate between you and I, for example. And there are many more blog posts out there which say similar things. In terms of image, I think it makes them look cheap and lazy, not so smart.

Besides, Coke is now a large, well established multinational company out to make alot of money. While I’m sure they do have alot of unique products and produce new products all the time, it makes sense for them at acquire companies that will provide a tidy profit if the opportunity arises. *shrug* I don’t think that’s a rip it all, I think its clever business. See the difference?

Just out of curiosity, are you affiliated with Nutrient Water in any way?

Speaking of blantent rips, Coke bought the US company out, it can’t even come up with new products of its own!

Nutrient Water on the other hand is clearly a company which saw an overseas trend and acted on it, to bring something new and exciting to Australia. Smart.

I think my confusion lay in the fact that Nutrient Water has appropriated some Vitamin Water’s marketing/packaging concepts. Such a blatant rip naturally caused me to think it was a simple rebranding.

Haha, trust Australia to appropriate something else, right? They’ve been doing it since the Pavolova! :)