Coca-Cola: Carving a Path for Zero Sugar
The Challenge
Carter’s, the market-leading lemon-flavored sparkling drink, lacked a Zero Sugar option—despite the segment’s explosive growth being led by zero-sugar products. The challenge was to craft a data-driven market entry plan that could overcome consumer skepticism toward taste while capturing new market share and avoiding shelf-space loss.
Core/Behavioral Insights
Our strategy was built around reducing risk aversion and preserving emotional reward.
Skepticism Bias: Consumers doubted zero-sugar flavor authenticity. The product couldn’t be another “diet” drink—it had to redefine indulgence.
Emotional Indulgence: Carter’s drinkers often seek comfort and small joy. The new line needed to offer that same guilt-free satisfaction.
Growth Driver: Limited-time flavors and novelty were key to keeping curiosity alive.
Actionable Solution & Impact
We designed a multi-phased go-to-market strategy blending behavioral design and financial precision.
Positioning: Launched with “Refreshingly Light, Unapologetically Bold,” framing Zero Sugar as a superior, guilt-free indulgence.
Behavioral Risk Mitigation: Introduced a Nationwide “Taste Guarantee” sampling program to directly challenge skepticism and turn trial into trust.
Strategic Impact: Required $10M initial investment, projected to return $25M+ in Year 1 and $80M+ by Year 3, demonstrating a clear behavioral ROI.
My Comment
This project was a powerful lesson in behavioral risk management within CPG strategy. We weren’t just designing a product; we were redesigning trust.
It proved that in saturated markets, the smartest strategies are behavioral at heart—those that respect human emotion while balancing creative risk and financial rigor.
I learned that true strategy is not about adding features, but reducing doubt, one decision at a time.
