Coca-Cola Zero

Coca-Cola Zero

Type	Diet Cola
Manufacturer	The Coca-Cola Company
Country of origin	United States
Introduced	2005
Colour	Caramel E-150d
Flavor	Cola
Variants	Coca-Cola Cherry Zero Coca-Cola Vanilla Zero Caffeine Free Coca-Cola Zero Coca-Cola Lime Zero
Related products	Coca-Cola, Coca-Cola Cherry, Coca-Cola C2, Diet Coke, Diet Pepsi, Pepsi One, Pepsi Max and Tab
Website	http://www.cocacolazero.com

Coca-Cola Zero or Coke Zero is a product of the Coca-Cola Company. It is a low-calorie (0.75 calories per liter) variation of Coca-Cola specifically marketed to males, who were shown to associate 'diet' drinks with women.

The Coca-Cola Zero logo has generally featured the script Coca-Cola logo in red with white trim on a black background, with the word "zero" underneath in lower case in the geometric typeface Avenir (or a customized version of it). Some details have varied from country to country. The British logo, for example, originally had the "o" taking a spiral form. In the U.S., the letters decline in weight over the course of the word.

Ingredients

All versions of Coke Zero sold in various countries are based on the same flavoring formula, and all are carbonated and caffeinated (excepting caffeine free) However, the exact combination of artificial sweeteners and preservatives used vary from market to market.

Sweeteners and health concerns

Sodium cyclamate, a relatively cheap artificial sweetener banned by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) since 1969 as a carcinogen, has been used in the Coca-Cola Zero versions produced in Spain, Portugal, Venezuela, Chile, and some Central American countries. It was used for a time in Mexico, before a consumer campaign led to its removal from the drink in 2008.^[1] In June 2009 Venezuela ordered Coca-Cola to withdraw its Coca-Cola Zero product, as it contained more than the legal levels of sodium cyclamate.^[1]

Variants

Coca-Cola Cherry Zero is a flavored variation of Coca-Cola Zero. In late January 2007, it was introduced to store shelves and was widely available throughout the United States before its official debut, which occurred on 7 February 2007 at New York City's Fashion Week.^[2] Coca-Cola introduced a vanilla-flavored version, Coca-Cola Vanilla Zero, concurrently with the relaunch of the original Coca-Cola Vanilla in May 2007.^[3] Coke Vanilla Zero is currently^[when?] available in the U.S., Canada, Nauru and Australia, and from November 2011 as a "Limited Edition" in New Zealand.

In February 2010, Coca-Cola Zéro sans caféine (Caffeine Free Coca-Cola Zero) was released in France.^[4] In Japan, Coca-Cola Zero Free launched in April 2010.^[5] In the Netherlands, "Coca-Cola Zero Caffeine Free" has been sold since the start of 2011.

• 

  A US can of Coca Cola Vanilla Zero

• 

  US Coca-Cola Cherry Zero cans, with a cherry zero logo.

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  French can of Coca-Cola zero caffeine free next to a US zero can.

Marketing

Coke Zero was Coca-Cola's biggest product launch in 22 years.^[6] It is primarily marketed towards young adult males^[7] and has even been nicknamed "Bloke Coke".^[6] The launch started in Spain, on Wednesday 21 June 2006.^[8]

In the U.S., advertising has been tailored to its targeted market by describing the drink as "calorie-free" rather than "diet", since young adult males are said to associate diet drinks with women.^[9] U.S marketing has also emphasized its similarity in taste to sugared Coca-Cola through a 2007 U.S. viral marketing campaign that suggested the company's executives were so angry over the drinks' similarities they were considering suing their coworkers for "taste infringement".^[9]

In Australia, the product was originally promoted by a fake front group;^[10] the campaign included outdoor graffiti and online spamming that mentioned a fake blog.^[11][12] Once exposed, consumer advocates assailed the campaign as misleading and established the Zero Coke Movement^[13] to comment on the ethics of Coke's activities.^[14]

Distribution

Coke Zero is currently sold in:

• Argentina (since January 2007)
• Aruba (since 2009)
• Australia (since January 2006)^[15]
• Austria (since February 2007)
• Bahrain
• Belgium (since August 2006)
• Bolivia (since January 2007)
• Bosnia and Herzegovina (since January 2011)
• Brazil (since January 2007)^[16]
• Bulgaria
• Canada
• Chile (since April 2007)
• China (since January 2008)
• Colombia (since February 2008)
• Costa Rica (since September 2008)
• Croatia (since February 2007)
• Cyprus (since August 2007)
• Czech Republic (since January 2008)
• Denmark (since January 2007)
• Dominican Republic (since April 2008)
• Ecuador (since September 2007)
• Egypt (since July 2007)
• El Salvador (since November 2007)
• Estonia (since March 2008)
• Faroe Islands (since January 2007)
• Finland (since November 2006)
• France (since January 2007)
• Germany (since July 2006)
• Gibraltar
• Greece (since January 2007)
• Honduras
• Hong Kong (since March 2007)
• Hungary (since April 2008)
• Iceland (since March 2007)
• Indonesia (since February 2008)
• Iran
• Ireland (since June 2006)
• Israel (since March 2008)
• Italy
• Jamaica (since June 2009)^[17]
• Japan (since June 2007)
• Kuwait
• Lithuania (since March 2008)
• Latvia (since March 2008)
• Lebanon
• Lesotho
• Luxembourg
• Malaysia (since March 2008, limited to Jusco stores only)
• Malta
• Mauritius (since August 2008)
• Mexico (since January 2007)
• Morocco
• New Zealand (since January 2006)
• Netherlands (since February 2007)
• Norway (since September 2006)^[18]
• Oman
• Pakistan
• Palestinian territories (since February 2008)
• Panama (since February 2009)
• Papua New Guinea (since 2007)
• Paraguay
• Peru (since January 2007)^[19]
• Philippines (since February 2008)
• Poland (since March 2008)
• Portugal (since May 2007)^[20]
• Qatar
• Romania (since April 2007)
• Rwanda (since 2008)
• Saudi Arabia
• Serbia (since September 2007)
• Singapore (since February 2008)
• Slovakia
• Slovenia (since January 2008)
• South Africa (since August 2008)
• South Korea (since April 2006)
• Spain (since June 2006)
• St. Kitts and Nevis (since September 2009)
• Sweden (since March 2007)
• Switzerland (since February 2007)
• Thailand (since May 2007)
• Taiwan (since March 2007)
• Trinidad and Tobago (since 2007)
• Tunisia (since 2008)^[21]
• Turkey (since February 2008)
• The Bahamas
• Ukraine (2011, from Sakartvelo)
• The United Arab Emirates (since February 2008)
• The United Kingdom (since 10 June 2006)^[22]
• The United States (since June 2005)
• Uruguay (since December 2007)

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Venezuelanalysis, 12 June 2009, Venezuela Orders End to Coca-Cola Zero Production
2. ^ "Cherry Coke Gets Fresh Jay-Z graciel Remix", Kenneth Hein, BrandWeek, 29 January 2007
3. ^ Vanilla Coke is Back!, Business Wire, 25 May 2007
4. ^ Le Coca-Cola Zéro sans caféine arrive dans vos verres, CocaColaWeb.fr, 15 February 2010
5. ^ Coca-Cola | News: Details, CocaCola.Co.jp, 26 April 2010
6. ^ ^{a b} Hickman, Martin (2006-07-04). "Introducing 'Bloke Coke' - is this now the real thing?". London: The Independent. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/introducing-bloke-coke--is-this-now-the-real-thing-406556.html. Retrieved 2009-06-12. 
7. ^ Tungate, Mark (2008). Branded Male: Marketing to Men. London and Philadelphia: Kogan Page Limited. pp. Chapter 3. ISBN 978-0-7494-5011-3. 
8. ^ "Coca-Cola España prepara el lanzamiento de Coca-Cola Zero". Marketing News. http://www.marketingnews.es/gran-consumo/noticia/1037622028005/coca-cola-espana-prepara-lanzamiento.1.html. Retrieved 2010-02-17. 
9. ^ ^{a b} Elliott, Stuart; 5 March 2007; "Can’t Tell Your Cokes Apart? Sue Someone"; The New York Times; retrieved 6 March 2007.
10. ^ "The Zero Movement". Coca Cola Company. http://www.thezeromovement.com/. Retrieved 2006-07-24. 
11. ^ "Tantillo’s Branding Bite: Pepsi Goes Online (Exclusively)" Marketing Doctor Blog. March 20, 2008.
12. ^ "Coke Gets A Zero For Effort" Marketing Doctor Blog. January 25, 2006.
13. ^ "The Zero Movement". Tim Longhurst. http://www.thezeromovement.org/. Retrieved 2006-07-24. 
14. ^ "The Zero Coke Movement". Archived from the original on July 18, 2006. http://web.archive.org/web/20060718020320/http://www.thezeromovement.org/quotes_on_the_coke_zero_movement.html. Retrieved 2006-07-24. 
15. ^ "Coca-Cola Amatil records sweet result". The Sydney Morning Herald. 3 May 2006. http://www.smh.com.au/news/Business/CocaCola-Amatil-records-sweet-result/2006/05/03/1146335787382.html. Retrieved 2007-02-08. 
16. ^ "Companhia lança Coca-Cola Zero no Brasil". http://www.ovendedorprofissional.com.br/producao/WebForms/wfrNoticiaDetalhe.aspx?IdNoticia=584. Retrieved 2007-01-16. 
17. ^ http://www.jamaica-star.com/thestar/20090616/ent/ent4.html
18. ^ "Handelsbladet Fk – Kraftig satsing på sukkerfri brus". http://www.handelsbladetfk.no/artikel.asp?artikelId=107825&strukturId=3&visa=1. Retrieved 2006-10-13. 
19. ^ Diario La República - Online - Gonzalo Cerda: "Puede haber competencia en marcas de una misma empresa"
20. ^ "Coca-Cola Zero chega segunda-feira". http://www.dnoticias.pt/default.aspx?file_id=dn01013203170507. Retrieved 2007-05-17. 
21. ^ http://www.blogdecom.com/2008/04/une-semaine-avec-zero-lundi-le-teasing.html
22. ^ "Coke Zero's UK Debut Targets "Real Men"". Beverage World. Archived from the original on May 6, 2007. http://web.archive.org/web/20070506134733/http://www.beverageworld.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=5728&Itemid=92. Retrieved 2006-07-24. 

External links

• Austrian Campaign website
• Canadian Campaign website
• Swiss Campaign website
• United States Campaign website