Otsuka’s Match is a CSD brand which has been a hit with high school students for over 20 years. The drink is based on a mix of Otsuka’s “Oronamin C” carbonated energy drink, and “Pocari Sweat”, its well known sports drink.
The company is now trying to expand the Match brand. In early 2016, it launched “Berry Match” a pink coloured Match with mixed berry flavour. This succeeded in winning new customers such as young women.
On 3rd October, Otsuka will launch “MATCH Set Position” the latest addition to the line-up. Again targeting high school students, it is a kind of modern energy drink with a cooling flavour and available in a 240ml slim aluminium can.
The new Match is focused on new drinking occasions such as before study or prior to examinations and aids concentration with its specific taste. While the nutritional content is the same as regular Match, here the drinker feels a chilling sensation 30 seconds after consumption. This is an interesting new idea but will bring the beverage into competition with other major energy drinks on the market, so Otsuka will be promoting the product with a pre-sales consumer campaign.