Lame or Game? (part deux)

In the second official installment of Lame or Game? (check Meth Coffee posting from June ’95)…we offer Cocaine. This now defunct energy supplement drink from Las Vegas-based Redux Beverages took a gamble that it could blow Red Bull away in the max caffeine category (see their handy caff graph below…..I’m disappointed that Bawls has so little caffeine).

Turns out to be a bad bet on at least two counts. First, the FDA didn’t like the brand/drug association and declared the marketing campaign to be illegal. And second, what are the long term prospects of any brand built solely on controversial stunt publicity? Red Bull paid its dues working the crowds for yeards to build up a base. You can’t take that down with a name. Redux will rename the beverage and relaunch in the coming weeks. Will that make any difference?