In what could amount to the grandest bit of reverse psychology ever marshaled to sell a soft drink, Dr Pepper has selected the slogan for its new 10-calorie soda.
Dr Pepper Ten will be marketed with the tag line: "Dr Pepper Ten: It's Not for Women."
According to a company spokesperson, the slogan's already having its presumably intended effect in the six test markets where the drink's been rolled out.
"It's very tongue in cheek, but all the women I've told about it were like, 'We'll be the judge of that,'" says the spokesperson, who declined to provide her name for publication.
The man-centric campaign doesn't end with the slogan: Samples of the drink will be distributed at mobile "man caves" and promotional events will be staged at "points of testosterone," which is company-speak for venues where lots of guys gather.
Dr Pepper will continue to produce Diet Dr Pepper, but the spokesperson says Dr Pepper Ten was developed specifically for "the 18-34 year old male consumer who prefers the taste of regular Dr Pepper" but wants to limit his caloric intake. According to the spokesperson, there really are teenage boys who worry about such things.
"A lot of guys would love to have a low-calorie option," she says. "Basically, these 10 calories have allowed us to give the mouth-feel and full flavor of Dr Pepper. We call them the 10 hardest working calories out there."
Dr Pepper Ten is now available in Colorado Springs, Denver, Kansas City, San Antonio, Austin and Des Moines, Iowa.
