Coffee Nirvana

We met at The Chocolate Room yesterday. The same girls group that had spontaneously gathered on the eve of International Women’s Day. It was a quiet evening with laughter and camaraderie, spent over cups of chocolate drinks and a few bites. I ordered a drink whose name itself implied an impossible expectation “Coffee Nirvana” – a concoction of cold coffee, chocolate topped with whipped cream. When the dream drink arrived, it tasted really sweet and chocolaty. The only taste of coffee came from the few strategically placed coffee beans which punctuated the white swirls of the whipped cream. I was hoping for a chilled chocolate-flavored coffee drink. Quite disappointing really.

I wondered later if I would have ordered that particular drink if it had been named differently. There was so much to choose from and in the absence of a better indicator, I picked the one with the intriguing name. That led me to think about marketing strategies. Fortunately, I am currently reading Malcolm Gladwell’s best-seller, Blink. The premise of this book is that humans possess an uncanny faculty for figuring things out intuitively, without the support of reams of research and data. Choices are made in a blink, on an unconscious level, in most cases, accurately. To prove the point that one does not need to gather humongous evidence to make the correct decision, he describes the methodical manner in which Coca Cola revamped the taste of Coke when they found the newcomer Pepsi bridging the gap as the top selling cola. In taste tests, after one sip, most people preferred Pepsi. The preference was analyzed and attributed to the fact that Pepsi tasted sweeter. “New Coke” as the redesigned, sweeter version was called, turned out to be a total disaster. The greater sweetness did not translate into greater sales of the new product. Coca Cola went back to the original formula and launched it again as “Classic Coke” which then went on to regain its top-selling status. Do you know why? When people drink a can of cola, the sweeter taste actually is a deterrent. While on the first sip, the sweeter drink may be appealing, in the long run, you need to have more substance to keep people coming back for more. Interesting, huh?

I was reminded of this again today when I saw an article in a prestigious newspaper by someone. The gentleman occupies a high position in a reputed company. He had progressed rapidly up the ranks to move into an influential role. My interactions with him were always sugary sweet, with no substance under the surface. But he spoke well, carried himself well and distinguished himself by aligning with the right people in the right positions. I read his article. I could not understand anything – what was the logic, what was he trying to convey, what was the point? His success summarized the Pepsi story in the human plane. Perhaps he had hit a temporary soft spot with a particular personal characteristic but I doubt he will have the staying power for the long run. Pepsi or Coke – only time will tell.