We used E-Score^® Brand to look at some compelling beverage rivalries and how consumer perceptions set up certain brands for success.

In the sports drinks category, newcomer Body Armor has directly targeted longtime leader Gatorade, but our data shows they have some serious branding obstacles to overcome as many consumers confuse Body Armor for other brands.

• When asked, “What is the first thought that comes to mind when you see the name of this brand?” 61% of responses showed confusion regarding Body Armor. Many mistook it for athletic clothing brand Under Armor.
• E-Score Brand’s Open Ends offer key insights from consumers. Here are some of the comments used to describe Gatorade: “Refreshing, thirst quenching,” “sweet, great commercials, good hydration”, “It helps keep me hydrated when I’m working out.”
• On the other hand, many of  Body Armor’s Open Ends don’t relate to their product, with comments like: “Apparel that is stylish, well made, durable,” “cool clothes.”

Energy Drinks

Monster and Red Bull dominate this category. The two brands have similar scores among the general population, but looking closer, there is a clear distinction along generational lines as Red Bull skews older than its more recent Monster rival. Each appeals more to the generation that first adopted it when it was launched. Does this suggests the time might be ripe for a new brand appealing to today’s youth to hit the scene?

Click on the tabs for more Attributes.

• When comparing Appeal, Monster and Red Bull score very similarly among Gen X respondents with 29 and 28, respectively. Among post-millennial Insta-Generation (ages 13-21) however, Monster boasts an 18-point advantage with 40 to Red Bull’s 22.
• Red Bull leads Monster among Gen-Xers in the Bold, High-Quality and Better Than Competitors attributes, but among both Millennials and Insta-Gen’s, Monster scores higher.

Zero Calories

As health-conscious consumers seek to replace sugary beverages, the zero-calorie sub-category of drinks has been booming. We focused on consumers who consider health, diet and fitness to be important to see how brands compete among this target.

Although both Pepsi products contain no sugar, Pepsi Zero Sugar is 16 points higher than Diet Pepsi in Appeal among health and fitness enthusiasts, aware of the brands.

Click on the tabs for more Attributes.

• Likely due to its position as flavored sparkling water as opposed to soda, LaCroix grades above both Diet Pepsi and Pepsi Zero Sugar in High Quality (23).
• LaCroix generates a higher word of mouth compared to both Pepsi products among health and fitness enthusiasts.
• Despite LaCroix’s health-conscious targeting, fewer health and fitness enthusiasts Would Recommend to Friends/Family (26) when compared to the general population (29).

Resources

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