Spunk Water Disaster

"The Spunk Water Disaster – How Coca-Cola tried to sell tap water to the British" analyzes one of the most embarrassing product launches in history. In 2004, Coca-Cola launched its water brand "Dasani" in the UK. They marketed it as "pure, still water."



Marketing expert Michael Stevens details the catastrophe. First, the press discovered the water was just tap water from Sidcup, treated and bottled. Then, it was revealed that the treatment process had accidentally created bromate, a carcinogen, forcing a total recall. To make matters worse, the marketing slogan "Bottled Spunk" (slang for semen in the UK) was used in internal pitches, and the comparisons to a famous Only Fools and Horses episode made the brand a laughing stock.



"The Spunk Water Disaster" is a lesson in cultural blindness and PR management. It shows how a global giant can be brought to its knees by failing to understand the local market and the power of the British tabloid press.