stuff #2

Coke + "beauty tea" = reluctant consumer

I ran into this article about Coke looking into the beauty tea business. It looks as though Coke would partner with L'Oréal and sell the tea in boutique department stores right next to the cosmetics. I have a personal struggle with Coke wanting to develop a product for beauty. I love a fountain Coke, but my skin has an aversion to pop. I'm sure the packaging wouldn't boast "from the makers of Coke," but I don't think Coke has a vested interest in how I feel about beauty from the inside and out. I'm generally not a person who buys into "beauty" products, but a few months ago I detoured into World Market and found myself surrounded by The Republic of Tea. I fell head over heels for a product they have called Get Gorgeous. I spent $10 on the tea because the brand and the packaging sold me. I really believed the company cared about my feelings. Funny, but I think the tea actually works. It doesn't solve my problem but it helps. I know Coke wants a chunk of the market, but when I think of Coke, I think of a moment on the lips and two weeks on the cheeks...or something. It could be a success or it could be a failure. Sometimes it feels like brands just want to be the Wal-Marts and the Targets of the world. Why wouldn't they? Take a look at this article for Heineken. Come play in Heineken Land!