http://www.chicagotribune.com/featur...isuretempo-hed


BIVALVE BEVERAGES IN THE NEWS

Why is it consumers clam up when it comes to Clamato?

By Matthew Kauffman

May 18, 2004

If it weren't for the tens of millions of gallons that people voluntarily
consume every year, you'd swear the stuff was a "Saturday Night Live" joke:
a bottled drink that combines tomatoes and spices "and a great clam taste."

Clams. Now that's refreshment!

Welcome to the improbable world of Clamato, which stands alone in the
supremely narrow "seafood blends" beverage category.

Clamato has been around 35 years and it has shelf space in virtually every
supermarket in America. Despite its ubiquity, Clamato has not caught on with
the nation's vast Anglo market, although it has long been a popular choice
among U.S. Hispanics.

And therein lies a thorny challenge for Clamato's maker, Stamford,
Conn.-based Mott's Inc.

Clamato plays a distant second to V8 in the "red juice" category, but it's
eager to gain market share. To get there, should Mott's try to knock down
what it dryly calls "the clam barrier" and go after the 98 percent of Anglo
consumers who snub the product?

Or should the company devote its marketing resources to expanding its hold
on the core Hispanic market, which, although smaller, has shown its affinity
for Clamato?

Seven years ago, marketers at Mott's made their choice. And they chose
wrong.

Clamato's brand managers never had a clear sense of why there is such a
strong ethnic split on Clamato, and they tend to play down one widely
rumored explanation: Clamato's underground reputation as an aphrodisiac in
some Hispanic communities.

"That could play a role," said Georg Rasinski, Clamato's senior brand
manager. "But I think it's the taste profile in general, and then being
based on tomatoes. I mean, for Mexicans, tomatoes are just part of their
diet.

"I think it's the seafood/tomato combination," he continues. "Have you had
ceviche? The seafood cocktail? That's a little bit where this product plays
in. You see it all along the beaches. People drink it a lot in Acapulco.
It's just part of the palate of the Latino, I think."

But if that completely explained Clamato's appeal, then the product ought to
do equally well with Italians, who know a thing or two about combining
tomatoes and seafood.

Whatever the reason for the Anglo clam barrier, Mott's figured in 1997 that
if skeptical U.S. consumers would just try Clamato, they'd be hooked. So the
company adopted a light-hearted campaign, with the ill-conceived tagline:
"Great Taste. 99.9 percent Clam-Free."

But consumers, of course, weren't turned off by Clamato because it had too
much clamminess. The psychological barrier was that it contained clam juice
at all. Telling Anglo consumers that Clamato didn't have all that much of
the ingredient that grossed them out was no way to move the merchandise.

And by trying to minimize the clam content, Mott's focus on fish might have
only bolstered the barrier.

"When you look at it now," Rasinski says candidly of the $14 million
campaign, "you wonder why we did that."

Saying adios to market

But the company learned from its missteps, and in 2000, Mott's said "adios"
to the general market, dumped its big ad agency in favor of a small Latino
shop and developed Spanish-language ads for television, radio and billboards
in key Hispanic markets around the country.

It worked, boosting sales by hundreds of thousands of cases and winning
accolades for its architect, marketing director Omar Garcia, who developed
advertising campaigns positioning Clamato as a fun social-occasion drink.

He also built a small cadre of field marketing managers who still work
directly with small grocers in Hispanic markets, arranging in-store
promotions as well as samplings at mass events in the community.

Mott's also has extended the line in the last two years, developing Clamato
Campestre, with roasted garlic, cilantro and Worcestershire sauce; and more
recently, Clamato Energia, which competes in the popular energy drink
category led by Red Bull.

Rasinski has followed Garcia's lead, and last week he launched a new
Spanish-language ad campaign with the tagline "Anima tu Dia" ("Liven up your
day") to position Clamato as an "any time" drink.

Today, although Clamato has just 6 percent of the "red juice" category, it
has a 27 percent share among Hispanic consumers in the United States, and
that number has grown nearly 20 percent in the last four years.

Breaking through the barrier

But Mott's is still haunted by the clam barrier, and there ought to be some
way to break through it. While Clamato is strong in Mexico and parts of
Central America, it is also a huge seller in Canada, thanks to a twist of
fate decades ago. Shortly before Clamato was developed, bartender Walter
Chell was asked to invent a drink to celebrate the opening of a restaurant.
He came up with a concoction that combined Vodka, tomato juice,
Worcestershire sauce and mashed clams, with a celery stick garnish.

It's called the Bloody Caesar. And while it has been described derisively
(on this side of the border) as the illegitimate offspring of a Bloody Mary
and Manhattan Clam Chowder, it is essentially the National Cocktail of
Canada, with 250 million mixed every year, in a population barely one-tenth
that of the United States. Clam barrier? What clam barrier?

Mott's tried to export the Bloody Caesar to the United States a few years
ago, but the effort fizzled. Still, Garcia hasn't given up on the
non-Hispanic U.S. market, and he's mindful that in food, as in dance and
music, U.S. Anglos have been warming to Latin culture in recent years.
Clamato, he said, one day might try to ride that wave to finally break
through.

"I have this idea in the back of my mind: OK, Latin is cool. When are we
going to take advantage of that?" he said. "At this point in time, we still
feel like there's sufficient growth in the Latino market. But that could be
one of the angles to go after the general market."

</>

"Gregory Morrow" > wrote in
message link.net...
>
>
http://www.chicagotribune.com/featur...isuretempo-hed
>
>
> BIVALVE BEVERAGES IN THE NEWS
>
> Why is it consumers clam up when it comes to Clamato?
>

<snippage>

Damn, I love Clamato! It's right there in the juice ghetto, along with
prune and carrot juices, but I grab a bottle every shopping trip.
Admittedly, it's not as fresh as V-8, but it's different enough to warrant
me buying both.

Jack Mottsovalvolene

"Gregory Morrow" > wrote in
message link.net...
>
>
http://www.chicagotribune.com/featur...3may18,1,43851
60.story?coll=chi-leisuretempo-hed
>
>
> BIVALVE BEVERAGES IN THE NEWS
>
> Why is it consumers clam up when it comes to Clamato?
>
> By Matthew Kauffman
>
> May 18, 2004
>
> If it weren't for the tens of millions of gallons that people voluntarily
> consume every year, you'd swear the stuff was a "Saturday Night Live"
joke:
> a bottled drink that combines tomatoes and spices "and a great clam
taste."
>
> Clams. Now that's refreshment!
>
> Welcome to the improbable world of Clamato, which stands alone in the
> supremely narrow "seafood blends" beverage category.
>
> Clamato has been around 35 years and it has shelf space in virtually every
> supermarket in America. Despite its ubiquity, Clamato has not caught on
with
> the nation's vast Anglo market, although it has long been a popular choice
> among U.S. Hispanics.
>
> And therein lies a thorny challenge for Clamato's maker, Stamford,
> Conn.-based Mott's Inc.
>
> Clamato plays a distant second to V8 in the "red juice" category, but it's
> eager to gain market share. To get there, should Mott's try to knock down
> what it dryly calls "the clam barrier" and go after the 98 percent of
Anglo
> consumers who snub the product?
>
> Or should the company devote its marketing resources to expanding its hold
> on the core Hispanic market, which, although smaller, has shown its
affinity
> for Clamato?
>
> Seven years ago, marketers at Mott's made their choice. And they chose
> wrong.
>
> Clamato's brand managers never had a clear sense of why there is such a
> strong ethnic split on Clamato, and they tend to play down one widely
> rumored explanation: Clamato's underground reputation as an aphrodisiac in
> some Hispanic communities.
>
> "That could play a role," said Georg Rasinski, Clamato's senior brand
> manager. "But I think it's the taste profile in general, and then being
> based on tomatoes. I mean, for Mexicans, tomatoes are just part of their
> diet.
>
> "I think it's the seafood/tomato combination," he continues. "Have you had
> ceviche? The seafood cocktail? That's a little bit where this product
plays
> in. You see it all along the beaches. People drink it a lot in Acapulco.
> It's just part of the palate of the Latino, I think."
>
> But if that completely explained Clamato's appeal, then the product ought
to
> do equally well with Italians, who know a thing or two about combining
> tomatoes and seafood.
>
> Whatever the reason for the Anglo clam barrier, Mott's figured in 1997
that
> if skeptical U.S. consumers would just try Clamato, they'd be hooked. So
the
> company adopted a light-hearted campaign, with the ill-conceived tagline:
> "Great Taste. 99.9 percent Clam-Free."
>
> But consumers, of course, weren't turned off by Clamato because it had too
> much clamminess. The psychological barrier was that it contained clam
juice
> at all. Telling Anglo consumers that Clamato didn't have all that much of
> the ingredient that grossed them out was no way to move the merchandise.
>
> And by trying to minimize the clam content, Mott's focus on fish might
have
> only bolstered the barrier.
>
> "When you look at it now," Rasinski says candidly of the $14 million
> campaign, "you wonder why we did that."
>
> Saying adios to market
>
> But the company learned from its missteps, and in 2000, Mott's said
"adios"
> to the general market, dumped its big ad agency in favor of a small Latino
> shop and developed Spanish-language ads for television, radio and
billboards
> in key Hispanic markets around the country.
>
> It worked, boosting sales by hundreds of thousands of cases and winning
> accolades for its architect, marketing director Omar Garcia, who developed
> advertising campaigns positioning Clamato as a fun social-occasion drink.
>
> He also built a small cadre of field marketing managers who still work
> directly with small grocers in Hispanic markets, arranging in-store
> promotions as well as samplings at mass events in the community.
>
> Mott's also has extended the line in the last two years, developing
Clamato
> Campestre, with roasted garlic, cilantro and Worcestershire sauce; and
more
> recently, Clamato Energia, which competes in the popular energy drink
> category led by Red Bull.
>
> Rasinski has followed Garcia's lead, and last week he launched a new
> Spanish-language ad campaign with the tagline "Anima tu Dia" ("Liven up
your
> day") to position Clamato as an "any time" drink.
>
> Today, although Clamato has just 6 percent of the "red juice" category, it
> has a 27 percent share among Hispanic consumers in the United States, and
> that number has grown nearly 20 percent in the last four years.
>
> Breaking through the barrier
>
> But Mott's is still haunted by the clam barrier, and there ought to be
some
> way to break through it. While Clamato is strong in Mexico and parts of
> Central America, it is also a huge seller in Canada, thanks to a twist of
> fate decades ago. Shortly before Clamato was developed, bartender Walter
> Chell was asked to invent a drink to celebrate the opening of a
restaurant.
> He came up with a concoction that combined Vodka, tomato juice,
> Worcestershire sauce and mashed clams, with a celery stick garnish.
>
> It's called the Bloody Caesar. And while it has been described derisively
> (on this side of the border) as the illegitimate offspring of a Bloody
Mary
> and Manhattan Clam Chowder, it is essentially the National Cocktail of
> Canada, with 250 million mixed every year, in a population barely
one-tenth
> that of the United States. Clam barrier? What clam barrier?
>
> Mott's tried to export the Bloody Caesar to the United States a few years
> ago, but the effort fizzled. Still, Garcia hasn't given up on the
> non-Hispanic U.S. market, and he's mindful that in food, as in dance and
> music, U.S. Anglos have been warming to Latin culture in recent years.
> Clamato, he said, one day might try to ride that wave to finally break
> through.
>
> "I have this idea in the back of my mind: OK, Latin is cool. When are we
> going to take advantage of that?" he said. "At this point in time, we
still
> feel like there's sufficient growth in the Latino market. But that could
be
> one of the angles to go after the general market."
>

Is it just me - I have a hell of time getting Clamato juice opened - ? It's
sealed so damn tight.

Elaine

"Jack Schidt®" > wrote in
:

>
> "Gregory Morrow" > wrote
> in message
> link.net...
>>
>>
> http://www.chicagotribune.com/featur...5180043may18,1,
> 4385160.story?coll=chi-leisuretempo-hed
>>
>>
>> BIVALVE BEVERAGES IN THE NEWS
>>
>> Why is it consumers clam up when it comes to Clamato?
>>
>
> <snippage>
>
> Damn, I love Clamato! It's right there in the juice ghetto, along
> with prune and carrot juices, but I grab a bottle every shopping trip.
> Admittedly, it's not as fresh as V-8, but it's different enough to
> warrant me buying both.
>
> Jack Mottsovalvolene
>
>
>

So...You've been converted to a Ceasar Lover too? They Beat Bloody Marys,
hands down. Another Great Canadian Invention....

--
Once during Prohibition I was forced to live for days on nothing but food
and water.
--------
FIELDS, W. C.

Steve Wertz > wrote in
:

>
> Friend of mine mixes them with beer (she's Mexican, of course).
> If I offer it to white people, they go - "ewww" - they've never
> even tried it. Just the name turns them off. Idiots, all of
> them.
>
> -sw
>

As you are stevie.

--
StocksRus®

Jack Schidt® wrote:

> "Gregory Morrow" > wrote in
> message link.net...
>
>>
> http://www.chicagotribune.com/featur...isuretempo-hed
>
>>
>>BIVALVE BEVERAGES IN THE NEWS
>>
>>Why is it consumers clam up when it comes to Clamato?
>>
>
>
> <snippage>
>
> Damn, I love Clamato! It's right there in the juice ghetto, along with
> prune and carrot juices, but I grab a bottle every shopping trip.
> Admittedly, it's not as fresh as V-8, but it's different enough to warrant
> me buying both.
>
> Jack Mottsovalvolene
>
>
Works even better with a shot of vodka.
--
Alan

"If you reject the food, ignore the customs, fear the religion, and
avoid the people, you might better stay home."
--James Michener

Tomato, tomahto
Clamato, Clamahto--
Let's call the whole thing off!

Jen
San Francisco

(likes Clamato)

Steve Wertz wrote:

> Friend of mine mixes them with beer (she's Mexican, of course).
> If I offer it to white people, they go - "ewww" - they've never
> even tried it. Just the name turns them off. Idiots, all of
> them.
>
> -sw


Variation of "Red Beer."


jim

"Jack Schidt®" > wrote in message
. ..

> Damn, I love Clamato! It's right there in the juice ghetto,
along with
> prune and carrot juices, but I grab a bottle every shopping
trip.
> Admittedly, it's not as fresh as V-8, but it's different enough
to warrant
> me buying both.
>

There was a V-8 Clam on the market years ago. I loved it, but I
may have been the only one who did, since it went away. But V-8
mixed with clam juice is a fair substitute.

--
barry in indy

"Steve Wertz" > wrote in message
...
> On Tue, 18 May 2004 20:21:14 GMT, "Jack Schidt®"
> > wrote:
>
> >"Gregory Morrow" > wrote in
> >message link.net...
> >>
> >>
>
>http://www.chicagotribune.com/featur...43may18,1,4385
160.story?coll=chi-leisuretempo-hed
> >>
> >>
> >> BIVALVE BEVERAGES IN THE NEWS
> >>
> >> Why is it consumers clam up when it comes to Clamato?
> >>
> >
> ><snippage>
> >
> >Damn, I love Clamato!
>
> Yep. I have a 10oz virgin bloody ceaser at least every-other
> night. Worcestershire, habanero Tabasco, and Old Bay.
>
> >It's right there in the juice ghetto, along with prune and
> >carrot juices but I grab a bottle every shopping trip.
>
> There's quite a few take-off brands now. HEB has one that not
> quite as tangy, but its more refreshing (no added thickeners).
> A mexican company called Sonrita has one too, sold in 12oz cans
> for $.25 (sometimes on sale 5/$1). Can't beat that price - it's
> usually what I buy lately since it's about 1/3rd the price of
> Genuine Clamato.
>
> Haven't seen the "Energia" yet, and I'm not fond of their
> Campadre, but the Spicy version is pretty good (it gets hotter the
> longer it sits on the shelves - I always pick the oldest one on
> the shelf - date code on neck of bottle).
>
> There's also Beefmato (also from Motts), though only one place in
> town carries that one.
>
> Friend of mine mixes them with beer (she's Mexican, of course).
> If I offer it to white people, they go - "ewww" - they've never
> even tried it. Just the name turns them off. Idiots, all of
> them.
>
> -sw

I see none of those other brands around here but maybe if I look in a latino
grocery I might have better luck.

As for mixing with beer, I think the Mott's site gives a recipe for making a
'red beer' with clamato. Doesn't sound bad to me at all.

Jack Clambier

"Dog3" <dognospam@adjfkdla;not> wrote in message
4...
> "Jack Schidt®" >
> :
>
> >
> > "Gregory Morrow" > wrote
> > in message
> > link.net...
> >>
> >>
> > http://www.chicagotribune.com/featur...5180043may18,1,
> > 4385160.story?coll=chi-leisuretempo-hed
> >>
> >>
> >> BIVALVE BEVERAGES IN THE NEWS
> >>
> >> Why is it consumers clam up when it comes to Clamato?
> >>
> >
> > <snippage>
> >
> > Damn, I love Clamato! It's right there in the juice ghetto, along
> > with prune and carrot juices, but I grab a bottle every shopping trip.
> > Admittedly, it's not as fresh as V-8, but it's different enough to
> > warrant me buying both.
> >
> > Jack Mottsovalvolene
>
> I love Clamato also. I almost always have a bottle of it in the fridge
> right next to the V8. I have not tried the Beefomato. Have you tried it?
>
> Michael
> --

I did a long time ago but haven't seen it anywhere to refresh my memory of
it.

Jack Lost

"hahabogus" > wrote in message
...
> "Jack Schidt®" > wrote in
> :
>
> >
> > "Gregory Morrow" > wrote
> > in message
> > link.net...
> >>
> >>
> > http://www.chicagotribune.com/featur...5180043may18,1,
> > 4385160.story?coll=chi-leisuretempo-hed
> >>
> >>
> >> BIVALVE BEVERAGES IN THE NEWS
> >>
> >> Why is it consumers clam up when it comes to Clamato?
> >>
> >
> > <snippage>
> >
> > Damn, I love Clamato! It's right there in the juice ghetto, along
> > with prune and carrot juices, but I grab a bottle every shopping trip.
> > Admittedly, it's not as fresh as V-8, but it's different enough to
> > warrant me buying both.
> >
> > Jack Mottsovalvolene
> >
> >
> >
>
> So...You've been converted to a Ceasar Lover too? They Beat Bloody Marys,
> hands down. Another Great Canadian Invention....
>


Yeah, you frostbacks are on the cutting edge, as always! ;-P

Jack Trudeau

Steve Wertz writes:

>JimLane
> wrote:
>
>>Steve Wertz wrote:
>>
>>> Friend of mine mixes them with beer (she's Mexican, of course).
>>> If I offer it to white people, they go - "ewww" - they've never
>>> even tried it. Just the name turns them off. Idiots, all of
>>> them.
>>
>>Variation of "Red Beer."

Which is odd, considering the tomato juice and beer's origin in Europe
(Britain, I think?)
>
>I'm not too fond of the Clamato and beer - I'd drink way too much
>Clamato that way. Clamato is a sippin drink; Beer is for
>chugging.

Put me down in the virgin bloody caesar camp too. Firmly. And I'm about as
white as a half-Kraut, half-Hebe can get.

Marc "them Latinos know somethin' about vittles" Wolfe

Steve Wertz writes:
>On Tue, 18 May 2004 21:58:55 -0000, Dog3 <dognospam@adjfkdla;not>
>wrote:
>> I have not tried the Beefomato. Have you tried it?
>
>It's not as good a Clamato, IMO.

Depends on your mood. Being based partly on beef broth it's got a radically
different mouth feel, almost oily. Cut with a little vodka it's not bad, but
not as good as Clamato.

If you want a version of Beefamato try mixing some regular tomato juice with
some barely reconstituted beef extract. Less greasy, subtler beef taste.

Marc

:> I love Clamato also. I almost always have a bottle of it in the fridge
:> right next to the V8. I have not tried the Beefomato. Have you tried it?
:>
:> Michael
:> --

: I did a long time ago but haven't seen it anywhere to refresh my memory of
: it.


I definitely like Beefamato better than Clamato, but haven't seen it
anywhere for the past 15 years or so either. It's not listed on
the Mott's website either.

> wrote in message
...
> :> I love Clamato also. I almost always have a bottle of it in the fridge
> :> right next to the V8. I have not tried the Beefomato. Have you tried
it?
> :>
> :> Michael
> :> --
>
> : I did a long time ago but haven't seen it anywhere to refresh my memory
of
> : it.
>
>
> I definitely like Beefamato better than Clamato, but haven't seen it
> anywhere for the past 15 years or so either. It's not listed on
> the Mott's website either.
>

I could go for a frosty glass of Porkamato right about now. Hell, even a
glass of Livermato would hit the spot.

Jack Jugodecarne