The Legal Alternative Cocaine Drink

While waiting for a friend on Lafayette and Spring, I decide to run into the corner news stand and pick up a drink. Inside their fridge, I spot another little new energy drink. We’ve seen the popularity of energy drinks raise above the soft drink shelves of our local supermarkets and delis. From Red Bull to Monster, Energy T@B to Rock Star. Now meet the newest supplement drink to hit the market. An all new high or an all new low in energy drinks. ”The Legal Alternative to Cocaine” beverage. At least that’s how Redux Beverages is selling their latest product. A trendy hot new novelty to hit the supermarket shelves nearest you. (Except in Texas apparently where it’s outlawed.)

THE PACKAGE

The can is red like a can of Coke (Coca-Cola) and shaped as the recognizable Red Bull can, which gives itself an energy level of 3 and a half bulls . Instead of the Coca-Cola wave, the typography either resembles a dirty grunge-like font, or lines of cocaine. Towards the rim, “The Legal Alternative” is printed above these lines of Coke. The drink’s packaging is referring to the Coca-Cola beverage brand and cocaine. No normal company with something to lose, would put a drink out, refering to a drug that’s abused, ruins families, destroy lives and leads to deaths? The Coca-Cola drinks over a century ago did contain cocaine, to give it’s drinkers that medicinal pep. The drink can somewhat pays an homage to that history. There’s no denying the marketing ploy used to sell this drink. The website drinkcocaine.com purely markets cocaine to young college teens and adults and is currently running a contest to help pay for college tuition. To do so, one must join Cocaine’s social network.

THE TASTE

Tastes much better than a red bull, because unlike red bull, it doesn’t taste like medicine. It has a pleasant berry flavor but burns as it hits the taste buds. Much like how a line of cocaine would feel when snorted. After a long night and lack of sleep, the drink did pep me up.

INGREDIENTS

The color is red instead of red bull’s urine color and contains basically the same ingredients you might find in any other energy drink like Red Bull. Carbonated Waterm Dextrose, Citric Acid, Taurine, Natural Flavors, Sodium Citrate, Caffeine, D-Ribose, Salt, Sodium Benzoate, Inositol, Ascorbic Acid(Vitamin C), Sucralose, L-Carnitine, Potassium Sorbate, Guarana Seed Extract, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Cyanocobalamin (Vitamin B12), & FD & C Coloring. Wow, I think you just passed chemistry after reading this!

THE MESSAGE

Now I’m a big fan of controversial, provocative, edgy visuals and concepts. I also seem to like energy drinks. The last thing I’d want to see pawned off to kids, is a little bag of white powder marketed as candy. Although they do have Pixie Stix. I’m the first one to route for the one with guts and creativity that go beyond the norm. Possibly break what is currently socially acceptable. I applaud even more when one doesn’t resort to the easy tool of sex, just to sell an idea. So is the new solution to creative marketing and advertising a turn to drugs? The can says its a “legal”, though a “better” alternative to the real thing. But like the New Coke, this one will never take off.