Schweppes unveils ‘morph’ drink

Cadbury Schweppes is behind the launch in Germany of a soft drink that is deliberately relaunched every two months with a new flavour and image. The only stable element in its formula is the drink’s brand name.

The first version of the soft drink, Fit For Fun, launches this week and is the product of a joint venture – Hamburg-based Apollinarus und Schweppes – between Cadbury Schweppes and German firm Brau & Brunnen.

Dubbed a “morph drink”, Fit for Fun is the first of its kind. Traditionally, any change to the flavour or image of a branded soft drink is made only after months of research. The company hopes its target market – teenage consumers – will be attracted by the brand’s regular changes and will buy on brand name alone.

The first Fit For Fun is a vitamin-enhanced “performance drink” featuring an image of a naked man and woman embracing. The product will be reformulated and redesigned as Fit for Fun No 2 next month. Fit for Fun No 3 will launch by Christmas.

Apollinarus und Schweppes intends to revamp the drink on a regular basis.

It is not clear if the drink will launch in the UK, although the company will display the drink at a UK soft drinks conference in November.

“This is one of the most interesting concepts that I have come across this year,” says Richard Hall, managing director of soft drinks analysts Zenith International. “There is no doubt the market is ready for greater experimentation, but I don’t know whether it has reached this point.”