PepsiCo on limited time only products
My most recent Fact File focuses on limited edition/limited time only products. Although PepsiCo couldn’t offer a comment at the time I approached them, Michelle Naughton, associate manager of PR for PepsiCo e-mailed me her responses to my questions.
How can “limited time only products” be used to gauge the public’s interest in your brand?
Naughton: We’ve found that limited-time products can grow the entire trademark, generating excitement for the entire category.
What kind of PR is necessary to promote these products or to build buzz?
Naughton: Last year we launched Sierra Mist Cranberry Splash, the first limited-time-only flavor line extension from the Sierra Mist brand. It was a perfect fit because we know that consumers are looking for variety during the holiday season and that it is also a time when the lemon-lime category enjoys a peak, as do cranberry juices and drinks. So for this product, we launched a seasonal campaign with enough lead time to target those outlets planning stories and segments around holiday entertaining. We also included fun signature recipes that the whole family could enjoy during the season.
Why do these products appeal to consumers?
Naughton: Limited time flavor offerings provide the ability to delivery variety to consumers, while managing the realities of limited shelf space over the long term.
