Would you buy Coca-Cola bottled water costing US$9?
The drinks giant’s ‘Valser’ sparkling water has raised more than a few eyebrows, not for its quality, but its branding and price
“Turn it into a social currency.”
That’s the advice being given by one China marketing expert to Coca-Cola, as the US drinks giant launches what it is being billed as an ultra-luxurious Swiss sparkling water brand, a bottle of which costs double what a Starbucks venti cappuccino might cost.
Its “Valser” water first appeared in the US soft drinks giant’s store on Chinese online marketplace Tmall a few weeks ago, highlighting specifically that it is sourced from “Switzerland.”
“Theoretically, it is possible [to sell at that price], but you would have to make it not just about water, but also a social currency,” said Tom Doctoroff, senior partner with global marketing consultancy Prophet, and author of book What Chinese Want: Culture and Communism.