ITASCA, Ill., ITW Hi-Cone has announced a new four-pack application for 12-ounce soft drinks in cans. It was introduced in a special promotion to help Cadbury Schweppes Americas Beverages increase consumer trials of Diet Dr Pepper and Cherry Vanilla Diet Dr Pepper.

“Our goal is to put a sample of Diet Dr Pepper or Diet Cherry Vanilla in the hands of 250 million consumers during the month of February. That’s basically one can for almost every person in the United States,” said James Trollope, senior packaging engineer, Cadbury Schweppes American Beverages.

According to Hi-Cone’s vice president of sales and marketing Charlie Gagliano, some 60 million Hi-Cone four-pack ring carriers will be used in the promotion. “The package is easy to pick up and perfect to encourage sampling, especially in markets in which theproduct might be underexposed.”

The new four-pack will retail for under a dollar costs 99 cents and it will be free in one day special-event venues throughout the US, according to Trollope. “The Hi-Cone carriers are efficient and low-cost, but most importantly, the packaging doesn’t hide the can graphics. Therefore, it’s perfect for prominent display at the end of the aisle in grocery and drugs stores and for pallet drops,” said Trollope.

Gagliano said Cadbury Schweppes and other soft drink companies are rediscovering the benefits of small can packs for special promotions at favorable pricing to encourage consumer trial. “The idea is get the product in front of the consumer as quickly and easily as possible,” he said. “Four packs of cans are the perfect impulse or ‘why not’ purchase that provide an opportunity to try something different. It’s an excellent package to help establish or reintroduce a brand.”

“One in two consumers who try Cherry Vanilla Diet Dr Pepper purchase it again,” saidTrollope. “So encouraging trial of this beverage is as close to a sure bet as there is.”National retailers participating in the promotion include Albertsons, Safeway, Kroger and Target. The sample packs will be accompanied by coupons good for a discounted 12-pack purchase. In addition, massive four-pack pallet drops will occur for one-day giveaways in high-traffic areas in New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami, Detroit, and Portland.

Based in Itasca, Ill. ITW Hi-Cone is global beverage packaging company and a division of Illinois Tool Works, Inc. Plano, Texas-based Cadbury Schweppes Americas Beverages (CSAB), is a subsidiary of division of Cadbury Schweppes plc (NYSE: CSG). CSAB is one of the largest producers of soft drinks and premium beverages in the Americas. CSAB’s brand portfolio includes: Dr Pepper, 7UP, Mott’s Apple Juice, RC Cola, A&W Root Beer, Sunkist Soda, Canada Dry, Hawaiian Punch, Schweppes, and Diet Rite.