Mountain Dew is a caffeinated, sweet, citrus-flavored soft drink produced by PepsiCo, Inc. The main formula was invented in Marion, Virginia, named and first marketed in Johnson City, Tennessee and Knoxville, Tennessee in 1948, then by the Minges family in Fayetteville, North Carolina and across the United States in 1964.[1] When removed from its characteristic green bottle, Mountain Dew is bright yellow-green and semi-opaque.
As of 2006, Mountain Dew was the fourth-best-selling carbonated soft drink in the United States, behind only Coca-Cola Classic, Pepsi-Cola, and Diet Coke. Diet Mountain Dew ranked ninth in sales in the same year.[2]
Ingredients
Mountain Dew lists its ingredients as:
Mountain Dew (and its energy drink counterpart known as AMP) often incurs the disapproval of some health experts[3] due to its relatively high caffeine content for a soft drink (or energy drink). However, Mountain Dew marketed in Australia and Canada (see Dew Fuel/Mountain Dew Energy varieties below) – as well as several U.S. states – has no caffeine added at all (Health Canada prohibits caffeine in non-cola soft drinks[4], and Australia has a similar lawcitation needed). Nevertheless, Mountain Dew contains tartrazine (“FD&C Yellow No. 5” in the US), which could lead to allergic reactions in some people. This has also led to a false urban legend that the Yellow No. 5 in Mountain Dew reduces the sperm count of male drinkers.[5] Mountain Dew, like many citrus flavored sodas, contains citric acid and sodium benzoate.
Although the original formulation of Diet Mountain Dew solely contained aspartame as a sweetener, the recently reformulated Diet Mountain Dew, advertised on its packaging as having a "Tuned Up Taste", contains three non-nutritive sweeteners: aspartame, acesulfame potassium, and sucralose.
Marketing and promotion
Mountain Dew’s name is a previously-existing euphemism for moonshine, which likely traces back to Ireland (see the Irish folk song “The Rare Auld Mountain Dew”), and has generally been marketed to highlight its potency. It was originally marketed as “zero proof moonshine” and had pictures of hillbillies on the bottle until 1973.
Bascom Lamar Lunsford’s original recording of “Old Mountain Dew”, an Appalachian old-time song, was used as the first advertising theme for the newly created Mountain Dew soda.
Marketing efforts, 2002–2007
Today’s target demographic is radically different. The drink is mainly marketed to people in the 12-30 year old demographic group, creating a connection to outdoor activities like extreme sports and to the video game culture.[6] Mountain Dew is the tour title sponsor of the extreme sports event the AST Dew Tour. The name Mountain Dew was first trademarked by two brothers, Barney and Ally Hartman, who ran a bottling plant in Knoxville, Tennessee.
In 2007 Green Label Art also released a limited edition series of bottles featuring 12 different designs from various artists (regular Mountain Dew was inside the bottles themselves). Originally handed out at select promotional events, the company has announced via their website (www.greenlabelart.com) they are looking into distribution for a wider area. In 2008 Green Label Art released a second limited edition series of bottles featuring 6 new designs.
Their promotional tactics for Diet Mountain Dew have recently brought forth their "Diet Dew Surprising Facts" campaign, which focuses on crazy but true facts that are reenacted in videos or through other spectrums of advertisement. Their coordination with RepNation brought on brand representatives throughout 50 campuses across the US.
AMP Energy
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AMP is an energy drink produced and distributed by PepsiCo under the Mountain Dew soft drink brand. It was launched in 2001 to compete directly with Red Bull. Originally, AMP was known as Mountain Dew AMP. In 2007 and early 2008, several additional flavors of AMP were produced to match up with Mountain Dew flavors.
DEWmocracy
DEWmocracy[7] is a campaign launched by Mountain Dew to find the next new flavor of Mountain Dew to be released in 2008. The three flavors that were introduced are Supernova, a strawberry-melon flavor, Revolution, a berry flavor, and Voltage, a raspberry-citrus flavor. The Voltage flavor has won over the other three and will be officially introduced in September.
Doritos Quest
In 2008, Doritos debuted a new mystery flavor known as "Quest," with prizes being given as online puzzles are solved. The flavor has been identified as Mountain Dew. [8]
Green Label Art
In July 2008, Mountain Dew unveiled a limited time edition of the soft drink in aluminum bottles, with an artistic design, called Green Label Art.[9] The artwork was done by the artists Chuck Anderson, Dez, Eric Haze, Peat Wollaeger, the art team of Scott Lenhardt & Danny Davis, and Troy Denning.
Varieties
Active brands
- Mountain Dew (1948 - Present) – PepsiCo’s original and most signature flavor in the Mountain Dew family.
- Diet Mountain Dew (1984 - Present) – No-calorie Mountain Dew. Diet was formerly known as “Sugar-Free Mountain Dew” until 1986.[10] In 2006 Diet Mountain Dew was reformulated with a new “Tuned Up Taste,” it is now sweetened with a blend of sucralose, aspartame, and acesulfame potassium. The previous formulation only used aspartame.
- Caffeine-Free Mountain Dew (? - Present) – Non-caffeinated Mountain Dew. Available in various parts of the United States and Canada. In Canada it is simply labeled as “Mountain Dew” since caffeine isn't allowed in non-cola beverages.
- Diet Mountain Dew Fountain (? - Present) – A variation of Diet Mountain Dew that uses treated water instead of carbonated water in its formula.[11] Available as a fountain beverage at QuikTrip convenience stores and other limited locations.
- Caffeine-Free Diet Mountain Dew (? - Present) – No-calorie, non-caffeinated Mountain Dew. Available in limited locations in the United States. In Canada it is simply labeled as “Diet Mountain Dew.”
- Code Red (2001 - Present) – Cherry Mountain Dew and the namesake of the Code Red Virus. Code Red is not the same as the original Mountain Dew Red.
- Diet Code Red (2002 - Present) – A No-calorie No-sugar cherry Mountain Dew. Available in limited areas only.
- LiveWire (2003 - Present) – Orange Mountain Dew. LiveWire was initially introduced in 2003 as a limited edition flavor for the Summer. In 2005, after seeing two years of limited summer releases, LiveWire became a permanent addition to the Mountain Dew family.
- Baja Blast (2004 - Present) – Tropical lime and pineapple flavored Mountain Dew. Available exclusively as a fountain drink at Taco Bell restaurants.
- Voltage (2008) – A blue colored raspberry-citrus and ginseng flavored Dew. This flavor is one of the three “candidate flavor” finalists for DEWmocracy's “People’s Dew” national vote. It was released in stores on May 19 as a limited edition flavor so that people could taste test which flavor they like best before voting. It has been announced on August 18 that Voltage is the final winner; therefore, it became a permanent addition.[12]
Retired brands
- Red (1988) – Fruit Mountain Dew. Red was the first Mountain Dew flavor variation.
- Diet Red (1988) – No-calorie fruit Mountain Dew.
- Mountain Dew Sport (1990–1991) – Only test marketed in several states, as a Mountain Dew flavored sports drink.
- Diet Mountain Dew Sport (1990–1991) – Only test marketed in several states, as a no-calorie Mountain Dew flavored sports drink.
- Blue Shock (2001) – Berry-citrus flavored Mountain Dew.[13] Blue Shock failed to sell in the test market, Chicago, and was later released nationwide only in Slurpee form exclusively at 7-Eleven stores. Brought back briefly for a limited time in March 2007 and in July 2008.[14]
- Dew Fuel (2002–2007) – A caffeinated version of Mountain Dew offered in Canada. Marketed as a natural health product and not as a soft drink due to Health Canada regulations[15] that only allow caffeine in 'dark-colored' varieties of soft drinks such as cola and root beer. Originally called “Mountain Dew Energy” until given its present name in 2006. In early 2007, Pepsi-QTG Canada cited that Dew Fuel is out of production.
- Dew Fuel Sugar-Free (2002 - 2007) – No-calorie Dew Fuel. The caffeinated version of Diet Mountain Dew offered in Canada. Was originally called “Mountain Dew Energy Sugar-Free” until 2006.
- Pitch Black (2004) – Black grape Mountain Dew. Limited edition flavor for Halloween.
- Darth Dew (2005) – Tangy grape Mountain Dew Slurpee flavor that could be considered as “Pitch Black 1.5”.[16] Was available exclusively at 7-Eleven stores as part of a promotion for the theatrical release of Star Wars Episode III.
- Pitch Black II (2005) – Sour grape Mountain Dew. Limited edition flavor for Halloween. “Sequel” to the original Pitch Black.
- Arctic Burst (2006) – A Mountain Dew Slurpee flavor available exclusively at 7-Eleven stores as part of a promotion for the theatrical release of Superman Returns. The Slurpee is blue in color and said to taste like blueberry. While the official name is “Arctic Burst”, as seen on the actual Slurpee machine,[17] it has also been seen mislabeled under the name “Arctic Blast” in some official online advertisements.[18]
- Kryptonite Ice (2006) – A Mountain Dew Slurpee flavor available exclusively at 7-Eleven stores as part of a promotion for the theatrical release of Superman Returns. The Slurpee is green in color and the flavor seems to be tropical, like mango.
- Game Fuel (2007) – A limited edition citrus cherry Mountain Dew flavor released in August 2007 to promote the release of Halo 3, an Xbox 360 game.
- Mountain Dew MDX (2005 - 2007) – A Mountain Dew flavored energy soda. It was named “Mountain Dew X” during its national test marketing phase.
- Sugar-Free Mountain Dew MDX (2005 - 2007) – No-calorie Mountain Dew flavored energy soda.
- Dew Iced (2007) – A Mountain Dew flavored smoothie available exclusively at Cold Stone Creamery stores for a limited time.
- Revolution (2008) – A sky blue-colored, wild berry fruit and ginseng flavored Dew. One of the three “candidate flavor” finalists for DEWmocracy's “People’s Dew” national vote, but it lost to Mountain Dew Voltage.
- Supernova (2008) – A purple colored strawberry, melon and ginseng flavored Dew. One of the three “candidate flavor” finalists for DEWmocracy's “People’s Dew” national vote, but it lost to Mountain Dew Voltage.[19]
Non-Pepsi bottlers
Only two non-Pepsi franchises exist in the United States for the production of Mountain Dew. At the time of Mountain Dew’s acquisition by Pepsi, there were 56 franchise agreements, only 16 of which were not held by a Pepsi bottler. The two remaining agreements are permanent; however, the size of their territories are believed to be small enough to make them insignificant to Pepsi.[20]
- West Jefferson Dr Pepper (WJDP) of West Jefferson, NC. The company does not ship outside its contracted territory, however, several Web sites sell the product at a premium price. The premium price can be justified by the fact that WJDP is the last bottler in the U.S. to produce Mountain Dew with cane sugar[21] (instead of High Fructose Corn Syrup, or HFCS). WJDP is notable for producing all their non-diet products with cane sugar, most of which are Cadbury Schweppes Americas Beverages (formerly Dr Pepper/Seven Up, Inc.) products.
- RC Cola Bottling of Winchester, Winchester, VA. The company produces Mountain Dew, but uses High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) like all Pepsi bottlers.
References
External links
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