Any time business giants clash in the marketplace, researchers appear to get more excited than consumers. That’s because researchers are often more interested in the reasons behind product and brand successes and failures; consumers just want a fair deal with regard to product quality and price.

Take the case of EABL’s Alvaro and Coca-Cola’s Novida. That’s an exciting match - two non-alcoholic brands contesting the cold beverage space dominated by the latter but of strategic interest to the former. Both drinks are decent products, are well packaged, have adequate marketing support, and are widely distributed. Differences in price are negligible. On the face of it, very similar propositions which should result in an even share of the market.

But the evidence from TGI 2009 is that Alvaro has gained traction in the malt-based non-alcoholic drink category. If consumption is a measure of brand appeal, then Alvaro has a particular resonance among the 18 to 44 year olds and the higher socio-economic classes (AB, C1). Being first to market certainly has helped Alvaro take a bigger share in this category. Creating an adult, non-alcoholic drink whose consumers feel quite comfortable taking in clubs and bars has been a formula for success.