Pepsi Takes Diet Energy Drinks To The 'MAX'

The "invigorating" Diet Pepsi MAX drink arrives June 2007

In what is an obvious response to The Coca-Cola Company's hip and hot new low-carb energy drink product called Enviga, Pepsi-Cola North America today announced the creation of a brand new low-carb energy drink of their own called Diet Pepsi MAX.

There is very limited information available about this new Pepsi product releasing nationwide in June, but we do know it has zero calories and is fortified with extra caffeine and a little bit of ginseng to help "adults to get through the day." Pepsi has high hopes that this product will compete directly with Enviga and other similar energy drinks that have dominated the beverage market in recent years.

Nicknamed the "invigorating cola," Diet Pepsi MAX, which has done very well in test marketing with real consumers, is a product aimed at the 25-34 year-old demographic as well as anyone who is transitioning from sugary soda to diet soda. Even before I saw what it was sweetened with, I already knew Pepsi would be using a version of the ACE-K blends that have become popular with their current product line, including Pepsi One (made with Splenda) and the brand new Diet Pepsi Jazz (which has aspartame in it).

Rather than continue expanding their Splenda product line, Pepsi has stuck with their tried and true aspartame/ACE-K blend that has become the mainstay of products like the overhyped Coke Zero (which recently expanded their line to include Cherry Coke Zero as well). This is too bad since many low-carbers would prefer a Splenda/ACE-K blend instead, but the soda companies just haven't gotten that message clearly enough yet. Will they ever realize we don't like aspartame?!

Ever since I ended my recent diet soda embargo, I have been looking for more variety in my choices and Diet Pepsi MAX may provide that. But the jury is still out on it right now.

I contacted the corporate office for Pepsi today and left a message with someone there about conducting a taste test and blogging about it. I'll blog about it if I get the opportunity to try this product before June. Otherwise, I'll do a review as soon as it comes out in June.

One of the reasons Pepsi decided to make this new product at this time (aside from the heavy marketing presence of Coke's Enviga everywhere) is in direct response to a survey they conducted that found 8 in 10 people say they have trouble maintaining their energy during the day and 6 in 10 feel they can't get everything done that they need to get done in their daily activities.

Diet Pepsi MAX is being set up to meet the demands of that market of consumers with a delicious, calorie-free diet soda. Pepsi marketing spokesperson Cie Nicholson believes this is the right product at the right time for busy Americans.

"Adults have told us that they're constantly looking for the right balance to get them through their day and Diet Pepsi MAX is uniquely formulated to give the mind and body a boost," Nicholson contended.

You will see Diet Pepsi MAX coming in 20-ounce bottles, two-liter bottles and 12-packs of 12-ounce cans. This is a widespread product release that Pepsi is banking on being a viable product as will be evidenced by some pretty heavy-duty marketing and advertising when it comes out. Diet Pepsi MAX becomes the 13th cola product under the Pepsi name.

Stay tuned soon hopefully for my review of Diet Pepsi MAX if I hear back from them about the taste test. What do you think about the concept of a higher caffeine, ginseng-infused diet soda?

PepsiCo's 'Smart Spot' Not So Hot For Health

When you see the "Smart Spot," don't assume that means it's healthy!

When I purchased a bottle of Diet Pepsi Jazz the other day for my review here at this blog, I couldn't help but notice a new bright green label on the front that had the slogan "Smart Choices Made Easy" with a check mark in the middle as the logo. Not knowing what this was, I turned the bottle around and found the following explanation and web site information about it:

"Jazz Diet Pepsi Strawberries & Cream is a smart choice among soft drinks because it has zero sugar, zero calories and zero carbs per serving. Visit www.smartspot.com."

Okay, what's this all about? So I got home and looked around the Smart Spot web site and could not believe my eyes! What a preposterous premise for creating a marketing campaign all under the guise of health!

What I found when I got to SmartSpot.com was one of the most incredibly deceptive health propaganda web sites I think I have ever seen in my life. While this green symbol is supposed to help people make "better" and "smart" choices for a "healthier lifestyle," according to the web site, a closer look shows it is nothing more than a manipulative marketing piece touting all the food and beverage products from the company PepsiCo. WHAT A FREAKIN' CROCK OF YOU KNOW WHAT!!!

Have you actually seen the list of products that PepsiCo has put this "Smart Spot" logo on? They're not only ALL PepsiCo products, but many of them are not very hot for your health if you are livin' la vida low-carb.

Check out a small sampling of the "Smart Spot" products:

Dole® 100% Juice--54g carbs!
Tropicana® Fruit Smoothie--53g carbs!
SoBe® Synergy®--32g carbs!
Quaker® 100% Natural Low Fat Granola--45g carbs!
Quaker® Instant Oatmeal--33g carbs!
Aunt Jemima® Lite Syrup--26g carbs!
Baked! Tostitos® brand Tortilla Chips--24g carbs!
Quaker® Breakfast Cookies--22g carbs!
Tropicana® Fruitwise™ Fruit Bar--36g carbs!

Let's just have a carb-o-rama carb-fest, why don't we?! Sheeeeez! Are they serious about their claim that that green dot is supposed to help people "make better choices for you and your family." If so, the they had better rethink what products they are recommending people buy or else face a possible class action lawsuit when the health and weight problems of the people eating these products gets worse and worse because of all of those carbohydrates!

Is this just clever marketing or maniacal deception? Hmmmm?

So, how did they determine which products were considered "healthy" enough for the "Smart Spot?" Well, they turned to the "nutrition criteria based on authoritative statements of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the National Academy of Sciences." You can read all about it by clicking here and you will notice something very familiar: lower fat and lower calorie products rule the roost and monopolize what is "healthy."

Ah, well that explains why so many low-fat, high-carb foods ended up on the list! They are using the ridiculous Food Pyramid as the be-all, end-all to define what is healthy and what is not. ARGH!!!

Looking under their S.M.A.R.T. Living page, you see exactly how PepsiCo thinks people should be living a healthy lifestyle using "smart" as an acronym:

Start with a healthy breakfast
What is a "healthy" breakfast anyway? Some high-carb cereal or breakfast bar loaded with so much sugar and white flour your body doesn't need? No thanks, I'll stick with my high-protein microwaved eggs thank you very much!

Move more
How much more vague can you get than "move more?" How about "move for a minimum of 30 minutes a day" and I'd be more inclined to like this one better. But I suppose "more" is ANYTHING over NONE!

Add more fruits, veggies & whole grains
Not all fruits, veggies and whole grains are necessarily healthy for you. GASP! Did I just say that out loud? Oh, but you can't criticize those things because they are an essential part of any healthy lifestyle. Everyone knows that! But you would be wrong. Many fruits, while full of some excellent nutrients, are much too high in sugar and, thus, carbs to be a part of your low-carb lifestyle. The same goes for many vegetables, too, especially the starchy ones. And don't get me started on the whole grain craze!

Remember to hydrate
No arguments from me on this suggestion, although I think you should try to stick with drinking lots of plain water as your primary source of hydration (which makes PepsiCo happy with their Aquafina bottled water sales!). But their Gatorade and fruit juices are way too high in sugar to be consumed by anyone on the low-carb lifestyle.

Try lower calories or fat
Alrighty then, now we're getting into the nitty gritty of this here "healthy" living scam that PepsiCo is trying to pull. They are equating "low-fat" and "low-calorie" with "eating healthy" and that is not necessarily the case. This archaic and extremely subjective view of a healthy diet is what makes the list of products on the "Smart Spot" web site so laughable. Taking away the fat and calories is NOT the way to make them healthier for people. Not by a long shot.

In the end, what does all of this teach us as consumers?

First, you should always question just how good for you that product you are intending to purchase really is no matter what kind of fancy schmancy label it has on it about being "smart" or "healthy." You make the determination of whether it is by reading the ingredients and nutritional label for yourself.

Second, be aware that food and beverage companies like PepsiCo don't give a flying rip about you or your health. Their bottom line is to increase their bottom line, even if it means bamboozling you into thinking their products are a part of your "healthy lifestyle." What a joke! Don't get duped into the marketing lie.

Third and finally, now more than ever you can't rely on the government, businesses or even friends to help educate you on what kinds of foods and beverages you should eat and drink on your low-carb plan. Never stop the learning process and constantly remain on the lookout for trustworthy sources of information that will keep you abreast of all the latest when it comes to healthy products.

As for PepsiCo and their "Smart Spot" campaign, just remember this: IT'S NOT NECESSARILY HOT FOR YOUR HEALTH! No matter what their web site or cute little green logo says, most of those recommended products will destroy your low-carb lifestyle faster than you can say ACHOO! Don't get fooled and make an unwise purchase. Keep your head in the game and don't give in to the temptation to buy something just because it has the "Smart Spot" logo thinking "it's got to be healthy!" WRONG-O!

You can express your disgust with PepsiCo for this shameless "Smart Spot" initiative by using their contact page. We need to let them know how disappointed we are as consumers that they are seemingly purposely trying to pull the wool over the eyes of the American consumer thinking we're all a bunch of idiotic morons who can't think for ourselves when it comes to providing nutritious food for ourselves and our families.

9-12-06 UPDATE: A representative from Smart Spot responded to my concerns about their new program today.

Jimmy:

Thank you for contacting us. We are sorry to learn of your disappointment with the Smart Spot(tm) program.

Smart Spot(tm) from PepsiCo is the first-of-its-kind symbol designed to help people identify food and beverage choices that contribute to healthier lifestyles. The Smart Spot logo appears on more than 100 PepsiCo products that meet nutrition criteria based on authoritative statements from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the National Academy of Science that define limits for fat - including saturated and trans fats - sugar and sodium as well as call out products that are naturally nutritious and contribute fiber, vitamins and other important nutrients. The criteria is listed on the website.

The SMART acronym supports a balance of food and activity, consistent with the USDA Food Guide Pyramid guidelines, 2005. Our website also features our involvement in promoting activity by sponsoring playgrounds and working with America on the Move. Feel free to explore: www.smartspot.com.

Please be assured that your point of view has been shared with the appropriate corporate management. We appreciate the opportunity to respond.

Regards,

Bonnie
Smart Spot Consumer Response

Translation: "We got your message and we don't care what you think about our program." Sigh. Oh well, at least I had my say and they know how at least a portion of the population feels about the Smart Spot scam.