13 Jul Market Responsibly
Differentiating your product is a favorite topic of mine.
I like that this popsicle by SnoBar, which contains the same alcoholic content as a shot of Bailey’s or Chambord, costs $9 — for a popsicle.
I mean, which person at a swimming pool in Las Vegas is going to order a shot of Chambord at the pool? Wouldn’t you prefer an uber-cool frozen cocktail? The premise is fun. They even have a poster that says “Suck Responsibly.”
But how many frozen alcohol-filled popsicles would one person have?
It seems to me anyone who hangs out day-drinking in Vegas is likely to have an alcohol tolerance that would translate into this popsicle having pretty much no effect in the “I feel like I’ve had a drink” category.
So differentiating your product is good in theory, but creating a product that not many people are going to use very often isn’t nearly as good.
You need to differentiate in a way that makes business sense.
In the case of popsicles, perhaps while it isn’t uber-chic, the company should be creating new flavors without actually putting in alcohol.
Margarita-flavored virgin popsicles may find themselves at more family picnics and poolside soirees than SnoBar’s actual Margarita ice pop that contains tequila and therefore can’t be served by parents who have children around. (Hey SnoBar, I like you guys, so take this as a positive suggestion!)
So beyond sucking responsibly, if you’re in charge of product creation, make sure your product doesn’t.