Mountain Dew sales increased at a steady rate by 1972. But after some investigation, it was discovered that that the growth outside of Mountain Dew’s original market was small and that, specifically, the take-home market was inadequate. Many Mountain Dew drinkers were not able to find the beverage in their local grocery store. Mountain Dew also discovered that a majority of consumers viewed Mountain Dew as just another lemon-lime drink. The marketers at Pepsi had to figure out how to convince consumers that the drink did have an actual unique flavor. They needed to establish their segment of the market.
RELATED: The Birth of Mountain Dew’s Advertising.
In 1973, Mountain Dew decided to create new advertising campaigns and promotions to help expand their market. They wanted to re-create the excitement and fun that was tied in with the old campaign but have more “Ya-hoo!” and less hillbilly. They had to find a way to connect to core drinkers while, at the same time, reach out to new potential drinkers. With that goal in mind, they launched their “Put a Little Yahoo in Your Life” campaign. Unfortunately, that campaign was less than successful and was dropped after one year. Soon after, the team was back again finding a new direction. They decided that the only way to get Mountain Dew out of the hillbilly box was to create a campaign that would redefine Mountain Dew completely in the minds of the consumers.
They soon launched the “Hello Sunshine, Hello Mountain Dew” advertising campaign. This campaign aimed to embody young people having fun, enjoying life and sunshine. The idea was included a new catchy theme song. Mountain Dew had finally struck gold! This new advertising was an instant success reaching the precise demographic they desired to reach. The success of this advertising paid off immediately and the sales hit an all time record. By 1979, Mountain Dew was the fastest growing soft drink in America with sales surpassing 137 million cases.
The hardest part of the campaign was attempting to describe the unique flavor of Mountain Dew. They used phrases such as “sparkling fresh, lemon, lime and orange,” “the lemony taste of sunshine,” and “miles beyond refreshment… just this side of joy.” In 1979, they wanted to brighten things up and extend the new brand aesthetic. They soon changed “Hello Sunshine, Hello Mountain Dew” to “Reach for the Sun.” The new slogan carried with it the same look and feel, and ended up being just as successful as the last slogan.
Check back soon for another History of Mountain Dew blog!
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