Pepsi Jazz

[Jason Perlow]

I just had my first taste of the two new "Pepsi Jazz" diet flavors which came on the market very recently:

http://www.slashfood.com/2006/07/25/pepsi-jazz-hits-stores/

The Black Cherry/Vanilla I thought was okay, about as good as Diet Cherry Vanilla Coke. The strawberry cream one was nice, although it did have a perceivable "diet" aftertaste. I think the Diet Dr. Pepper Berries and Cream is better, but the Pepsi Jazz one is certainly worth a try.

LimeBerry also sounds interesting but I haven't found it around here yet.

I've seen the sodas in cans and 20oz bottles so far.

Edited July 30, 2006 by Jason Perlow (log)

[Rebecca263]

We just got 4 six packs of the Black Cherry Vanilla type flavor in the mail yesterday. Kiddle will report on it later today... for me it's a water day, not even flavored is allowed, wah!

[Jason Perlow]

You do your beverage shopping mail order? Is it more cost effective or is it just less of a pain in the ass?

[Rebecca263]

Hahaha! I am so frugal, you've got to be kidding! Actually, in the research arena I am everyone's favorite Mary Sunshine and I get a LOT of free product in the guise of feedback/research... lucky us. Of course, I find it odd that I'm so appreciated by these companies, because I do not have nomral tastes or normal habits by any stretch, and I am constantly shooting down ideas that someone more "mainstream" would probably prefer. Of course, I always add that opinion into my reports, so maybe they just like my thorough writing style? Sometimes we call our house "The James Joyce School of The Run On Thought".

[Jason Perlow]

Ah, yeah. Same deal with me and all my computer crap I get.

[Rebecca263]

Well, we could start an exchange, I need a new laptop and a portable hard drive! Need some Pepsi or some odd TastyCakes?

[Jason Perlow]

The problem with most of the computer crap is I have to return it after a few months!

[jkonick]

I agree that the berries and cream tastes a lot like a worse knock-off of the Dr. Pepper kind. The strawberry one was a lot better though - it actually tasted strawberry-y. Not like real strawberries, but very much so of fake strawberries, and also had more of a cream flavor than the berry one. I'd pick up the strawberry again, but I'd like it if they made it in a non-diet version. I'll have to be on the lookout for that lime berry one too, didn't see it when I picked up those two though.

[freshherbs]

i was in dallas yesterday at the W hotel, and they happened to be having a launch party there for Pepsi Jazz. picked up two bottles but haven't tasted them straight yet.

the interesting thing was that the bartender told me that the good folks at Pepsi designed these products to be used as mixers in cocktails. he then made me a drink with the cherry vanilla version with some Benedictine and something else. it didn't do too much for me.

anyway, does anyone know the background behind this product? it seems very strange...almost like it should be a coffee product for 50 year old women..."escape to a smoother place...Jazz".

i am not sure i get it

[Jason Perlow]

the interesting thing was that the bartender told me that the good folks at Pepsi designed these products to be used as mixers in cocktails

Ick. Using diet soda as a mixer?

[freshherbs]

the interesting thing was that the bartender told me that the good folks at Pepsi designed these products to be used as mixers in cocktails

Ick. Using diet soda as a mixer?

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it was pretty nasty

[CaliPoutine]

Saw these new pepsi products at target yesterday. 12 packs were on a "try me price" of 3.00 with an additional 50 cents off coupon attached. I won't be partaking though I'm a diet coke gal.

[Rebecca263]

Hi folks! In our house lately we've been having a lot of Caffeine Free Diet Coke, it helps with my nausea a great deal. However, Kiddle has finished testing the Cherry Vanilla Pepsi Jazz, and she adores it! She says that it has a "chemical candy" flavor that she really likes. Weird kid. I can't try it, as I'm not allowed the caffeine right now, so we're relying on her opinion.

[phaelon56]

I can't help but think that these new flavors alogn with those launched by Coke in recent years are just part of the proverbial battle for more shelf space and thus more consumer eyeball time. Supermarkets have gotten larger btu msot fo that space goes to bigger prepared foods sectiosn, natural and organic departments and in store dining.

The average beverage aisle doesn't have much more shelf space than it ever did but the surfeit of new specialty sodas and 'flavored waters" appearing of late must be driving Coek and Pepsi crazy. Thus... even if the new flavors only cannibalize their existing market share, e.g. by dividing their curent diet cola drink loyalists among some new flavors... it regains them some shelf space (assuming they can negotiate that deal with the grocers - an enitrely different can of worms).

[Kent D]

I made the mistake of picking up the Diet BC/FV version in a 12-pack, only because I have to try everything once, and buying just one 20-oz bottle would have been too easy. It is without a doubt one of the nastiest concoctions I've ever had to gulp down despite the chills running down my back. Yecch. Tastes like drinking cream soda while chewing Juicy Fruit gum. At least that's as close as I can come.

[freshherbs]

I can't help but think that these new flavors alogn with those launched by Coke in recent  years are just part of the proverbial battle for more shelf space and thus more consumer eyeball time.  Supermarkets have gotten larger btu msot fo that space goes to bigger prepared foods sectiosn, natural and organic departments and in store dining.

The average beverage aisle doesn't have much more shelf space than it ever did but the surfeit of new specialty sodas and 'flavored waters" appearing of late must be driving Coek and Pepsi crazy. Thus...  even if the new flavors only cannibalize their existing market share, e.g. by dividing their curent diet cola drink loyalists among some new flavors...  it regains them some shelf space (assuming they can negotiate that deal with the grocers - an enitrely different can of worms).

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actually, that isn't completely true. the beverage aisle exploded in the late 90's with the intro of snapple and all the other teas and actually stole space from soda's that aren't prevalent anymore (ie RC Cola).

while the battle for shelf space is important, i think that Coke and Pepsi are just realizing that a new breed of consumer is demanding more complex flavors-even in soda. don't forget that a lot of the flavored waters are actually Coke/Pepsi products, so they know this game well. maybe they just never thought it would happen to their crown jewels...

[Toliver]

A grocery store near me had the 2-liters on sale for a buck each.

I picked up the Strawberries and Cream but haven't tried it yet.

Regarding the info that these may be positioned as cocktail mixers, what would you mix the Strawberries and Cream with?

[Toliver]

I saw the first TV commercials for Jazz last night. So far, it looks like it's aimed at women.

I also thought it was interesting in the advertising campaign that it wasn't mentioned as Diet Pepsi Jazz or even Pepsi Jazz, but it's called Jazz, with the words "Diet Pepsi" in small letters underneath. Why not emphasize the Pepsi name-brand association instead of almost downplaying it?

On another tangent, I think this could work out quite well for Pepsi. Instead of debuting new Pepsi flavors (Pepsi Twist, Pepsi Lime, etc), they could use the Jazz line to introduce new flavors. They could even be called limited edition flavors (like some of the candy companies do) and if a flavor fails to catch on then it's not really a failure because the "Jazz" brand will continue on and they save face, so to speak.

One dilemma they face, though, is the name "Jazz" itself. There's the muscial association (shown in the commercial) which may pigeonhole consumers of the brand. It's almost like they're going after a niche market which seems like it could constrain its popularity.

[freshherbs]

fwiw, i have heard from a reliable source that this product is hugely overdelivering on pepsi's sales volumes. looks like a success so far

[Toliver]

fwiw, i have heard from a reliable source that this product is hugely overdelivering on pepsi's sales volumes.  looks like a success so far

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If they keep selling 2 liter bottles of the stuff for a buck (which is why I bought the bottle I did), it'll continue to be a success.

[MissAmy]

I found it to be horrendous in the extreme. Couldn't palate it at all. Then again, I tend to really hate fake chemical "flavors."

[Gina Suk]

Pepsi Jazz is just ok. I tried the Black Cherry Vanilla and Strawberries and Cream at an event where they were giving them out in those vintage bottles. I doubt it will last, like Crystal Pepsi did. It's a fun idea, tastes ok, but besides the fact that there are 0 calories, not sure it will catch on.

[LycheeLover]

I haven't tried the Jazz line but I nearly died of a heart attack when I opened their pop-up ad in a magazine and got blasted with the unexpected music. Beware!