The drink which can be purchased now on their official website
www.trubeverage.com , comes
in red glass bottles made to look like the drink served on the
series. The main difference being that the beverage consumer will be drinking is blood orange
flavored soda rather than synthetic blood. I don't think that the
marketing would've went well with a drink that had a blood like
taste, people they are trying to reach a mainstream consumer base
and not the select few, sorry to disappoint you.
The drinks can be ordered in 4 packs from HBO's True Blood website
at around $16 per 4 pack or approximately $4 a bottle plus
shipping, now compare that to can of red bull or a coffee from
Starbucks and you are not too far off. For those that do not want to
pay the shipping, well you can wait for it to hit your local FYE or
Borders, and you can buy it by the bottle and connect with the show
in that way.
Most marketing campaigns for a film or TV series, as far as
beverages go, entail a plastic cup at McDonalds or Burger King with
the pictures on it, years ago you actually has collectors glasses of
your favorite sports team, so this is an evolution in the marketing
strategies being launched at studios and in my opinion it is only
the beginning.
Granted at this point Tru Blood is identical in every way to the
drink in the series but I am certain that there will be a number of
ties ins, contest and more that will be exclusive to Tru Blood the
beverage and True Blood the series, it just makes all the sense in
the world.
Look for Tru Blood to create lots of buzz when it hits the stores,
although True Blood the series is more geared towards adults, with
Alan Ball behind the show and a series of books lined up and more
being written, the longevity factor is in place so expect Tru Blood
the beverage to just increase in popularity once its available for
mass consumption.
- Louis Velazquez - Host of the UCW Radio Show