DALLAS -- To make its mark in the crowded energy drink market, 7-Eleven Inc. has launched the Inked energy drink, which goes after the rapidly growing niche market of young, tattooed Americans.
"We wanted to create a drink that appealed to men and women, and the tattoo culture has really become popular with both genders," said Michele Little, 7-Eleven category manager of noncarbonated beverages. "Surprisingly, the tattooed public is pretty evenly split between males and females, and more professionals are sporting tats, but hidden under their suits."[image-nocss]
Sold in 12-oz. cans, Inked energy drinks hits 7-Eleven shelves this month in two flavors. Suggested retail price is $1.99. Each flavor's can is marked with logos reminiscent of traditional tattoo designs.
The Maori Citrus flavor is named for the native people of New Zealand, who have a long tradition of tattooing. British Navy Captain John Cook brought the tattoo culture back to Europe from the South Pacific Polynesian people.
The Chikara Tropical Grapefruit flavor gets its name from Kanji, the Chinese characters used in modern Japanese writing, in which "chikara" means power. The can has a tsunami emblem.
The tagline for the new Inked drink is "What's Your Story?"a reference to the stories represented by people's tattoos.
"A tattoo can mark a rite of passage or act of independence for an 18-year-old, a subtle symbol of an alma mater, Greek organization or religious group or a milestone in a life such as the birth of a child or personal accomplishment," Little said. "The rite of tattoo passage isn't only limited to the young, but also to those who think and act young. We want to reach all of them."
7-Eleven started working in March with Cott Corp. and Daymon Worldwide to create the new proprietary beverage. Cott also developed and manufactured Buzz Cola for 7-Eleven, which was the carbonated beverage from The Simpsons TV show and was available exclusively at 7-Eleven stores last July for the company's Kwik-E-Mart store makeovers and promotion for The Simpsons Movie.
"Most of the other energy drinks on the market target a male audience through extreme sports sponsorships, alternative rock music and 'darker' macho graphics," Little said. "The tattoo culture crosses all those interests, and with Inked, we hope to reach the male extreme sports and alt-rock fan base without forgetting about the females. Instead of an emblem of patriotism or mark of rebellion, today's tattoos have become status symbols, first among celebrities like athletes and performing artists, and now with the young and the hip."
7-Eleven's plans to market the product through grassroots efforts, promoting INKED to college kids, at national tattoo conventions and other local events attended by the targeted demographic, and the introduction of a "What's Your Story?" website and online community for the tattooed crowd.
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