Moxieland News

MOXIELAND NEWS

of interest to NEMC members and Moxie fans nationwide

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!
Moxie makes the Journal (Bedford Journal, that is):

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.
	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!").

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!"

NEMC visitation to CCNNE bottling plant in Londonderry NH, July 2005.

Past president Garland Lea (see story next page) is 4th from the left.

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!)

THE 2007 NEMC MOXIE SEASON IN REVIEW
The 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

*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.
	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.
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.



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!)
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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