Did it really take Dr. Pepper this long to think to enlist someone with the name Doctor? Wow. Well, better late then never. Dr. Pepper has now unveiled what is the first of their new, “Trust me, I’m a Doctor” series of ads (an additional ad will feature Kelsey Grammar…aka Dr. Frasier Crane, with more to follow).

The pitch  is that if you drink your soda slower, you enjoy it more. In a world where many of us chug soda to quench our thirst, and don’t appreciate the delicious, delicious flavor combinations some sodas have, this is a marketing campaign I can definitely embrace (disclosure: Dr. Pepper is, and has been for as long as I can remember, my favorite soda).

So does drinking soda slower really make it taste better, or is this just Dr. Pepper blowing smoke? I In the ad, Dr. J says, “Scientific tests have proven that when you drink Dr Pepper slowly, the 23 flavors taste even better.” Wait, really? There have been scientific tests about drinking Dr. Pepper at different speeds? Well, kind of:

The “scientific tests” Dr. J quotes was a study done by market research firm The Marketing Clinic in 2006, which has done research on the taste of food and beverages for marketers such as Coca-Cola, Mars and Procter & Gamble. On behalf of Dr Pepper, the firm asked about 50 people roughly 400 questions each about their soda drinking habits — and watched how they consumed the soda. Not only did the study find that slower drinkers enjoyed it more, but those slower drinkers tended to be heavier consumers of Dr Pepper.

Cool. As a Dr. Pepper drinker, I believe it. I really do think that I enjoy my soda more than you plebs who go around drinking whatever else your preferred flavor may be. That’s right, I’m a soda elitist, and in my mind, it doesn’t get any better than Dr. Pepper. In fact, I think I am justified in acting elitist, because the soda I prefer is, in fact, among the “elite” sodas available. The ad is below. Check it.

18 Responses

  2. Youppi

    I too am a huge Dr. Pepper fan.

    What are your thoughts on Pibb Xtra(previously Mr. Pibb)? Do you feel like they taste practically the same, or can you taste the difference?

    Reply
  3. Youppi

    Also, Alex;

    I believe the song is “Sirius” by the Alan Pasons Project.

    Reply
  4. Mattraw

    Count me all aboard the DP train, too. Not to mention DDP – which really *does* taste more like regular Dr. Pepper.

    Youppi, way to go with the Alan Parsons Project pickup – which *I* believe is some sort of hovercraft.

    Reply
  5. MrPoopyface

    To quote the late, great, Mitch Hedberg…

    “Mr. Pibb is a replica of Dr. Pepper, but it’s a bullshit replica because the dude didn’t even get his degree.”

    Reply
  6. Mitch

    Yeah, that song is cool. Remember when they used to use it during the Bulls introduction?

    I agree with everything you said, Eick.
    I am definitely a little bit elitist bouts my DP.
    And no. Pibb Xtra (Xtra nasty), as they now call it, is definitely not as good. I agree with my namesake, Hedberg.

    BTW that commercial rocks. Except for Erving’s face just as he shoots.

    Reply
  7. PsyFactor

    Thanks Youppi for the info on the song. I thought I’d never be able to find it. I thought I might find it looking at stadium music. It seems to me that some play it before games. Either way, I found it, downloaded it. Awesome commercial!

    Reply
  9. VVC

    The song is ‘Sirius’ from Alan Parsons Project.
    (p.s.: This is the Chicago bulls’ “theme” when introducing their starting lineup before games!!)

    Reply
  10. Giorgio

    PsyFactor, the album “Eye In The Sky” by The Alan Parsons Project, opening with Sirius (the song here featured) as recently been released in expanded edition and is available in shops and on the official site. This new edition includes bonus tracks, including the original demo of Sirius.

    Reply
  13. IM,A PEPPER

    F*** NO MAN MR.PIBB IS A COPY CAT AND IT SUCKS PIBB EXTRA IS SPICEY CHERRY SODA ITS HORRIBLE MAN DR.PEPPER IS AWSOME AND TASTE GREAT FU** ALL THE OTHER BRANDS!!!! DR.PEPPER RULES!!!! THE REST ARE HORIBLE.

    Reply
  14. red

    dr. pepper isn’t all it’sn cracked up to be.. I mean pibb extra is horrendous, but dr. pepper really isn’t as great as all the rave…

    Reply

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