Fascinating to see Britvic's Kate Fletcher deploy that rarely used PR tactic, the Ratnerbomb, at the FWD conference.
It's where you describe something vital to your business as "crap" - in this instance the independent trade as a means of generating headlines. I pop round the corner to Mr P's to see how he is taking the slight.
"I have been loyal to Britvic products for 30 years," he moans. "But there's no Britvic brands on your shelves," I counter. In fact and as usual, there's hardly anything at all. "Come into the back with me," he says. I've had this sort of offer before, but Mr P actually wants to show me his stockroom.
When he flicks on the striplight, I'm amazed. It's a warehouse-sized room crammed full of delisted Britvic lines. "All my capital is tied up in this," he explains. "That's why there's nothing in the shop." He shows me the cases of Freekee Soda, Britvic's blend of fizzy milk, juice and water, later launched again as Strange Soda. Hmm, I think - P&F may have handled that. "It's fizzy cheese now."
Then Juice Up, their Sunny D-a-like. On the next shelf, Liptonice, the sweet fizzy tea that failed; Still Tango, so bad it was launched twice. There's also space for Quencher, Mist, Red Card, Ruby's cranberry drink, and Mountain Dew (from the first time round).
"Would you like some Tapestry cordial? Only 79p." No thanks Mr P. "Look at the IceBlast machine. They invested £1m in these to make Britvic slush." There was Cherry 7UP and Lemon Pepsi too. And yet more, packed right up to the rafters Tango Fruit Fling, Robinson's Smooth Juice, Pepsi Twist, Idris classics."
And cases and cases of Pepsi Raw. "That was such a slow seller, they're still offering tickets to Latitude 2010 on the website. But I am so looking forward to Britvic telling me about marketing."
It's where you describe something vital to your business as "crap" - in this instance the independent trade as a means of generating headlines. I pop round the corner to Mr P's to see how he is taking the slight.
"I have been loyal to Britvic products for 30 years," he moans. "But there's no Britvic brands on your shelves," I counter. In fact and as usual, there's hardly anything at all. "Come into the back with me," he says. I've had this sort of offer before, but Mr P actually wants to show me his stockroom.
When he flicks on the striplight, I'm amazed. It's a warehouse-sized room crammed full of delisted Britvic lines. "All my capital is tied up in this," he explains. "That's why there's nothing in the shop." He shows me the cases of Freekee Soda, Britvic's blend of fizzy milk, juice and water, later launched again as Strange Soda. Hmm, I think - P&F may have handled that. "It's fizzy cheese now."
Then Juice Up, their Sunny D-a-like. On the next shelf, Liptonice, the sweet fizzy tea that failed; Still Tango, so bad it was launched twice. There's also space for Quencher, Mist, Red Card, Ruby's cranberry drink, and Mountain Dew (from the first time round).
"Would you like some Tapestry cordial? Only 79p." No thanks Mr P. "Look at the IceBlast machine. They invested £1m in these to make Britvic slush." There was Cherry 7UP and Lemon Pepsi too. And yet more, packed right up to the rafters Tango Fruit Fling, Robinson's Smooth Juice, Pepsi Twist, Idris classics."
And cases and cases of Pepsi Raw. "That was such a slow seller, they're still offering tickets to Latitude 2010 on the website. But I am so looking forward to Britvic telling me about marketing."
![ASDA_LUX_XMAS_MINCE_PIES_VIS_01[61][86]](https://dmrqkbkq8el9i.cloudfront.net/Pictures/380x253/0/1/0/345010_asda_lux_xmas_mince_pies_vis_016186_413913.jpg)
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