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MOXIELAND
NEWS
of
interest to NEMC members and Moxie fans nationwide
A
Perspective on Moxie
HOME
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Cornucopia battles brand
"dilution"! Over the
years, "moxie" has become generic, not
unlike "thermos", "kleenex",
and "frigidaire" (see LOGO
story). When Cornucopia acquired the rights to
Moxie from Monarch (see below) they soon found
that firming up a unique brand identity was like
trying to build a wall with silly putty...it just
kept slip-sliding away. So many things were using
"moxie" as brand names (many with
Monarch's "approval") that their
shotguns started coming out, and their corporate
lawyers started getting rich. One
example happened a few months ago with MOXIE
JAVA and we expect others will
follow. NFeN will try to keep you abreast of
developments along this front as we become aware
of them. It is apparent that they must be
diverting Cornucopia's precious resources from
promotional and other activities which would serve
to rapidly "grow" the Moxie brand as we
are sure they would prefer to be doing! |
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Moxie makes the Journal (Bedford
Journal, that is): |
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| Bedford is, of course,
HQ of Cornucopia Beverages (see below). For the
full story, from the 9/27 edition of
the Bedford Journal, click HERE. |
| Moxie Management
meets with NEMC!
Dateline: July 16, 2007 - Justin Conroy
(right), Moxie brand manager met with a group of
very interested NEMC members (below) and provided
much anticipated insight into the recent
acquisition of the Moxie brand from Monarch (see
next story).
Justin emphasized the fact that Cornucopia has
every intention to continue to serve and expand
its present customer base, while
"growing" the Moxie brand by increasing
regional brand awareness, providing more
widespread geographic availability, and by
developing appropriate advertising campaigns and
other promotional activity.
He also revealed what an arduous process it was
to acquire the brand and go through the learning
curve of what it takes to own it.
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Trademarks,
franchise agreements, historical data, territorial
arrangements, packaging, bar codes, internal policies and procedures,
dealing with government agencies, financial considerations, etc, etc....a field day
for lawyers and bean counters! Makes us glad we
only have to drink the stuff! |
| A wide variety of
Q&A's were addressed....an example:
One of the reasons that Moxie is not more
available is that very strong marketing agreements
exist between major producers (like Coca-Cola),
bottlers, distributors, and big customers
(supermarket chains, oil companies, etc) which
preclude putting "small" products like
Moxie on the shelf. Over time, Cornucopia hopes to
take what action it can to reduce these situations
and make Moxie more "visible" to
potential customers (to which we say,
"Hurray!"). |
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Moxie is back in New England!
Dateline: April 2007 - The rights to the
Moxie brand have been acquired from the Monarch
Beverages Company (of Atlanta, Georgia) by Cornucopia
Beverages, a division of the Coca-Cola Bottling Company
of Northern New England, headquartered in Bedford, New
Hampshire.
According to Justin Conroy, new Moxie brand manager,
this acquisition makes a lot of sense. As a
Monarch-franchised bottler, CCNNE had been producing 75%
of the world's supply of Moxie anyhow.
"Cornucopia", added CCNNE president Larry
Lordi, "is committed to see the Moxie brand grow
and flourish. You will be hearing a lot from us
soon!"
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NEMC
visitation to CCNNE bottling plant in Londonderry NH,
July 2005.
Past
president Garland Lea (see story next page) is 4th from
the left. |
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Moxie ownership background: In 1884, Dr.
Augustin Thompson started producing his patented
"Moxie Nerve Food" tonic in the form of a
carbonated beverage from a small plant in Lowell, Mass.
In the early 20th century, operations moved to Boston,
eventually to a huge showcase facility known as Moxieland
(see above). In the 1920's Moxie outsold Coca-Cola
nationwide, but by mid-century its popularity had waned
substantially, with only New England remaining as a
significant marketplace. The Moxie Company then
downsized itself and moved its operations to a
"Moxie Laboratory" in suburban Needham
Heights. In the mid-1960's, The Moxie Company was
dissolved, and all rights to Moxie were sold to what
became the Monarch Beverages Company of Atlanta, Georgia
(much to the consternation of many proud and hearty New
Englanders).
(Now don't get the idea that Moxie is now owned by
its old competitor Coca-Cola out of Atlanta Georgia. No
way, folks. CCNNE is owned by Kirin Beer of Japan!)
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THE
2007 NEMC MOXIE SEASON IN REVIEW |
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season was kicked off on July 1st with NEMC
participating in the 10th anniversary celebration of the
Hobo Junction RR in Lincoln NH. Helping with the Moxie
sampling were Matt and Russ Bilodeau (and his Moxie
Bug), Merrill Lewis, and Scott Bernier.
For more info on the Hobo RR, click HERE |
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| THE
Moxie weekend started on Thursday, July 12th at Moody's
Diner in Waldoboro, ME for their 2nd annual Moxie Day.
Wil Markey brought his calliope and his replica 1904
Moxie truck (which, unfortunately, blew a cylinder). A
substantial "quorum" of NEMC senators were present and
accounted for, including Jack and Kathleen Algeo, Bob
and Phyllis Hazard, Russ Bilodeau, Joe Vail, Merrill
Lewis, Kurt Kabelac, Penny Evans, George and
Judy Gross, and Don Worthen. Click HERE
for more pix. |
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On
Friday, July 13th, a group of senators met for
crustacean ingestion at Harasheek's on the wharf in
Freeport, and some proceeded forthwith to Lisbon for the
fireworks display and other doings.
On Saturday, of course, was the Grand Moxie "On
Broadway" Festival
parade and street "happenings" in Lisbon
Falls. One highlight was that Boston Globe reporter Jenn
Ableson was wandering around interviewing NEMCers and
others for her article which appeared on the stands on
Sunday August 5th (see front page for link to article).
Josh Whipkey (left), nephew of president Merrill Lewis,
was captured for posterity in the Globe article. Click HERE
for more parade pix, and HERE
for pix posted by Moxie Boy wannabe Ryan Bender
(understudy of Jim Jansson).
And as usual, after the Lisbon festivities wound
down, a contingent of senators repaired to Winslow Park
in Freeport for another fantastic authentic downeast
lobster clambake. See pix on NEMC
page.
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The annual NEMC business meeting was
held at Seashore Trolley Museum in Kennebunkport, ME on
Sunday, July 15th (see above),
highlighted by the gifting by Don Worthen of rare audio
tapes and other memorabilia to Matthews.
On Monday, July 16th, NEMC representatives were
treated to a spirited and informative presentation by Moxie Management (see
story, above) at CCNNE South Portland, as arranged for by Rick
Seferian. |
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| On
Saturday and Sunday, August 18 and 19th, NEMC set up
shop at the Celebrate Maine festival at the Raitt
Farmstead in Eliot, ME,
giving out samples of Maine's official soft drink, and
selling items to benefit the Matthews Bottle House
project. Some of the senators participating were Claire
McTiernan, Jack Algeo, Rick Seferian, Sheri Faber,
Merrill Lewis, Russ Bilodeau, and
Dan Hovey....another quorum! The NEMC Moxie booth was just between the
Lobster and Baked Bean tents...how much more "down
east" can you get?
The Union Fair (8/19-25) Moxie booth was manned this
year by Kurt Kabelac and Penny Evans, with support from
Scott Bernier....George & Judy Gross abandoned their
usual responsibilities and it is rumored that they were
in hiding out somewhere in Alaska for the week! (need pix!)
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| Another
new
venue for this year was the "Show with Moxie",
a
post card and ephemera show in Concord, NH run by
former president Doug
Richards. We participated on 9/2 for the
benefit of NEMC publicity and the Matthews Bottle House
Project.....
Joe Vail and son came up from Connecticut, and Jeremy
Stopford (right), came all the way from central New York
with his wife Thuvia, because he could not make the
other Moxie festivities this year.
We understand that a good time was had by all, and it
was worth the trip! |
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......Go to NEWS
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