Mizone Xi Qi
Can is back in vogue in China for sports drink. Danone’s Mizone launched Mizone Xi Qi (喜汽) or ‘Happy Gas,’ its first drink in the can format in May 2016. As the name implies, Mizone Xi Qi (330ml) is a carbonated sports drink, which sets it apart from the existing non-carbonated Mizone in PET packaging.
The use of the male cartoon character Mai Da Meng (脉大萌) and the female character Mai Xiao Mei (脉小妹) on the packaging is aimed at consumers born in the 90s who are drawn towards the trend of deliberately being cute (卖萌 mai meng). The word ‘mai’ rhymes with Mizone’s Chinese name, which is Mai Dong (脉动). The packaging design also comes in pair for young couples in love.
Coca-Cola Aquarius
Coca-Cola Aquarius sports drink is now available in 310ml can. Previously, the drink is sold only in the PET format. The maiden debut of Aquarius in can was made through JD.com, one of China’s biggest B2C platforms. Launching new products through the online channel helps brands gauge the response of young internet savvy consumers toward their products.
Food pairing
What is interesting about the two products in the can format is they can be sold in the foodservice channel or turn into cocktail. Coca-Cola has come up with interesting cocktail ideals for Aquarius.
In addition to the can version, Mizone’s new 400ml PET bottle, launched together with the can format, is specifically designed for the foodservice channel. Previous trial of the 400ml bottle was held in Chengdu in western China in June-August 2015. According to a Foodaily.com article, the 400ml bottle is officially available in Chengdu and Chongqing only.
