The Misuse of Insights #1: Molson Coors
Posted by Rachel Cox on August 1, 2012
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In this series we will be exploring the greatest misuse of insights. Taking a look at brands and products that have got it wrong and examining the core insight behind the move.
First up is an example from Molson Coors… In March 2012, Molson Coors announced the first-ever line extension for Coors Light, Coors Light Iced T.
“Available in Canada, Coors Light Iced T promises beer drinkers a light and lively brew, comprising the sweet maltiness of Coors Light – Canada’s favourite light beer – with a blend of natural tea and lemon flavours.” (Packagingdigest.com)
Picture sourced: Beerpulse.com
And the insight (or more accurately ‘poorly contextualised statistic’) that led to this contradictory blend of beer and tea?
“After water, tea and beer are the second and third most consumed beverages in the world” (Packagingdigest.com)
Although on paper this may seem like the perfect route for Coors Light to differentiate and for Coors Light Iced T to become one of the most popular beverages in the world, there are a few key barriers for consumers. Namely, tea and beer both cater for very different needs-states and user occasions.
It could be argued that iced tea bridges this gap as it serves many of the same needs and occasions as beer i.e. refreshment, cold, afternoon/evening etc. But does this necessarily mean that the two should be merged?
Molson Coors have been trying to perfect this blend of user occasions and needs states for a while with other line extensions such as:
- Molson Kick – lager with added caffeine
- Molson Cold shots – a stronger beer distributed in a smaller measure
While it is an excellent idea to take inspiration from unusual sources and unrelated categories, the simplest solution is not always right one.
To read Packaging Digest’s full coverage, click here: http://www.packagingdigest.com/article/521873-Molson_Coors_offers_summer_brews_in_new_packaging.php
Great post Rachel. I’m not positive this move was the result of an insight so much as it was a mashup of observations. Either way, as daring as it was, this one was doomed to fail.