Cheryl Hunter (shelflife at marklives.com)’s weekly pick of all things new — product, packaging, design, insight, food, décor and more!
- Don’t Kill Cliff — drink it
- Exploring Soweto just got easier
- Consol creates a jar in a jar
Reinventing rapid recovery
Kill Cliff is a rather eccentrically named “recovery drink” with an interesting background; it’s hugely popular in the US, where its American marketing strategy is loud and quirky. Recently launched locally market, the South African strategy — while keeping to the edgy and fun theme — is still focusing largely upon education. SA co-owner, Grant McNamara, gives Shelf Life some interesting insights into the new drink.
In 2011, a former Navy SEAL began Kill Cliff, which commits a share of its earning to support Navy SEALs and their families. That much is true. The rest is a mystery, with various stories circulating regarding the origins of the brand name, including one that claims the name refers to a secret mountainside in Afghanistan where soldiers were marched to their deaths.
What isn’t in dispute is that the drink was conceptualised because the military man grew tired of using caffeine-laden drinks to refuel his body after daily workouts and was convinced that energy and sports drinks were all missing key components to aid in recovery.
According to McNamara, the founder’s idea was to reinvent sports nutrition by developing a true recovery drink made with premium functional ingredients in a specialised formulation that is both healthier and tastier. In collaboration with top athletes and the beverage industry, he formulated Kill Cliff.
“The unique thing about Kill Cliff is that it’s a recovery and rehydration drink — think Game or Rehydrate — playing in the energy drink market — think Redbull and Monster. It is a cool and healthy alternative to the sugar and nasty loaded energy drinks but with all the ‘coolness’ of those brands.”
Kill Cliff contains no junk: no sugar, gluten, artificial colours or flavours. It has 15–20 calories per 355ml can; Vitamin B, C, and E, electrolytes and plant extracts (including ginger root, green tea extract, and ginseng root powder), as well as a unique enzyme blend. There is a touch of caffeine — 25mg — the same as a cup of green tea, so this is definitely not an energy drink.
Says McNamara: “It’s a recovery drink. The product is marketed for people [who] participate in hectic workout routines, are athletes, endurance, or CrossFit devotees or simply live a busy lifestyle and are looking for an alternative health drink that is not packed with hidden sugars.”
The brand is being activated bimonthly until December 2015 by Jam Media, from standard tasters at selected Spars and various Crossfit gyms around SA to fun nightclub activations, where McNamara says a core strategy is showcasing Kill Cliff as a viable alcohol mixer this summer: “Kill Cliff aims to be an edgy and loud brand that exists in the energy drink space, without actually being an energy drink.”
Kill Cliff packages its recovery drinks in Rexam sleek cans for durability, portability, and brand differentiation to help the beverage stand out on retail shelves. The company also benefits from aluminium cans reportedly being the most-sustainable packaging choice in the world, as they recycled at more than double the rate of any other beverage package.
www.killcliff.co.za • Twitter • Facebook
Soweto raises the travel bar
A small group of tourism entrepreneurs in Soweto have launched The Soweto Travel Bar to both grow their small businesses and gain more exposure for the area on the legendary Vilikazi Street.
According to Lebo Malepa, who owns Soweto Backpackers & Bicycle Tours, this concept was born out of a need for an information and networking hub for Soweto tourism products. Shova Events & Exhibitions, already located on bustling Vilakazi, offered the ideal positioning for the initiative, combining the best of unique travel experiences, African art and fashion, and a cool place to chill — the Travel Bar
Essentially, the new space is a traveller’s information hub where anyone may get info on where to stay; what to do, eat and drink; and how to get around. A smorgasbord of unique, Soweto-style township experiences are on display and offered to any traveller or visitor to the Vilakazi Street precinct.
Free WiFi, maps of Soweto, guide books and traveller’s magazines are other features to encourage the curious to learn more about Soweto and its surrounds. And for the adventurous whose interest is piqued, the Travel Bar also offers free walking tours and bicycle hire at the venue. These tourism information services are combined with Shova’s existing offering of African art, fashion and live music events.
Says Malepa, “We wanted to own the destination Soweto — one of the most-visited tourism attractions in the country. And the Travel Bar is where we can collaborate and work together to sell packages and unique Soweto products. As SMMEs, we will also be able to know each other better and assist one another.”
Vist the Soweto Travel Bar at 8039 Vilakazi Street, Orlando West, Soweto.
Two in one
Consol has launched Jar in a Jar, aimed at making on-the-go consumption easier through a space-saving design that keeps everything you want separated together.
In essence, two jars of different sizes fit one inside the other, the larger (500ml or 1L) jar accommodating a smaller (100ml) one. The jars share a lid, which holds them securely together as a singular container, to simplify both storage and transportation. Marketed as perfect for soup and croutons, pap and gravy, salad and dressing, fruit salad and yoghurt, the jars should be perfect for meals where some of the ingredients are best kept apart until just prior to serving.
Not limited to food, the jars may be used to store products hygienically together in a sterile environment, as well as stationery and crafting materials, sprinkles, cupcake casings and other baking essentials.
The new range will be sold individually, and the frosted lids come standard in four colours: blue, green, light coral and white. The jars and lids are dishwasher safe but may not be frozen or heated in an oven or microwave.
Available at The Consol Shop Woodmead and Stellenbosch, as well as through leading retailers, large jars are R42.90 and smaller ones R32.90.
www.consol.co.za • Twitter • Facebook
Shelf Life is MarkLives.com’s weekly column covering all things new. Notify us of yours at shelflife at marklives dot com. Want to sponsor Shelf Life? Contact us here.
Cheryl Hunter (@cherylhunter) has written for the South African media, marketing and advertising industries for more than 15 years. A former editor of M&M in Independent Newspapers and contributor to Bizcommunity, AdFocus, AdReview and the Ad Annual, she has also produced for various television networks and currently consults on communication strategy and media liaison.
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