August 3, 2001

12:19 PM

Serendipitous convergence of current events and "underground" marketing efforts — coincidence? Or maybe this is a better question: which will still be around in six months, the worm or the sickeningly-sweet, caffeine-laden beverage?
posted by barkingmoose (8 comments total)

Not that there aren't billions of alternative sickeningly-sweet caffiene-laden beverages to help fuel all-night code-writing sessions, but look how long Jolt has lasted without traditional publicity.

I foresee a kind of major-brand recipe concocted (what is the term for making soda? Brewing?) in local bottling plants with specialty, perhaps even self-designed company or team labels for sale to people who do all-night code-writing, or other peculiar job-related activities that require food. It's cafepress meets Opensource Cola.

If it is true that eEye or whereever teams really do "put away cases of that stuff daily," then they're probably not picking it up at the 7-11, or making midnight Mt. Dew runs (although, come to think of it, having a "break" and shopping seem to go together well. Many "study breaks" for me consisted of running to a Taco Bell.)
posted by rschram at 12:44 PM on August 3, 2001

Wait a sec... What if Pepsico is behind the Code Red virus?
posted by mrbula at 1:03 PM on August 3, 2001

if pepsico is behind it, they haven't done a very good job with the soda or the virus... i was in a test market a few months ago and tried it... also, read an article about the beverage industry that claimed code red would have the highest caffeine content of any soft drink... the code red faq however contains two contentious claims:

1. Code Red contains 37 mgs of caffeine
2. Code Red has the same caffeine content as Mountain Dew.

ive always thought the dew had over 55 grams. what gives? anyone have any other info? also, how shady is it to market a product with ginseng as a natural energy booster when in reality it has 100 mgs of caffeine (see the first entry under teas)?
posted by adamholz at 1:46 PM on August 3, 2001

Out here, Red Bull is the big one. Sit a bar for a few minutes (at least where I go) and it's Red Bull, Red Bull, Red Bull.

ive always thought the dew had over 55 grams.

55 milligrams, right?
posted by Mo Nickels at 2:52 PM on August 3, 2001

According to this site, Mountain Dew has 54mg. per 12oz. soda. Interestingly, Diet Mr. Pibb is the highest, at 57mg.

This site, however, lists Mountain Dew at 58mg. And in lieu of Mr. Pibb, it lists Josta as having 58mg. What the hell is Josta?
posted by hotdoughnutsnow at 3:35 PM on August 3, 2001

Ah-Ha! Here it lists Jolt Cola as having 71mg per 12oz. That is reassuring, however, Jolt claims to have "Twice The Caffeine" ... 71 is not really twice, considering that Coke has 46mg.
posted by hotdoughnutsnow at 4:07 PM on August 3, 2001

What the hell is Josta?

Josta is yet another highly caffeinated soda. It's particular virtue is that it has guarana. My freshman year of college, there were a few vending machines that had Josta, and it was much coveted for its late night study enhancing abilities. I'm not sure they make it anymore.

Of course, in any discussion of soda and caffeine, it's important to remember one simple fact: Jolt, the most caffeinated soda of all, has about as much caffeine per ounce as tea. Coffee has about twice that.
posted by moss at 4:39 PM on August 3, 2001

Or you can just add a couple shots of Sky Rocket to pretty much everything you drink and be done with it. :-)
posted by youhas at 5:10 PM on August 3, 2001