Reader Kim Wolfinbarger sent me this picture of sport drinks looking enough like drain cleaner to make her do a double-take.
Just read your July post on poisons that look like sports drinks. An interesting twist is sports drinks that look like poisons. I did a double-take at the grocery store last weekend, thinking that drain cleaner had been shelved with the sodas. Note the triangle icon–looks an awful lot like a hazardous materials
sign.
Do you think perhaps there is some commonality in the marketing backgrounds of the designers? Bright colors and strong lines make you believe you’re getting something powerful (whether it be a cleaner or a “performance” drink?)
In case you missed their point, it does say on the back “CAUTION: POWERFUL” and is not recommended for children.
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
I think the premise of this drink is actually based on NOS (nitrious oxide). Those familiar with it would definitely see the correlation. See the picture
Ok, it didn’t show up the first time.
http://i362.photobucket.com/albums/oo61/chrismkelley/bottles-composite-new2.jpg
Yes, I didn’t make the connection until I went to their site and it was full of ‘nitrous’ and pictures of cars. I guess it’s no secret who the target audience is for these drinks.
Chris is right. The sports drinks in question are part of an advertising campaign from NOS, a marketer of nitrous oxide systems for cars.