Sales are exploding for this little-known soda brand with a cult following

LaCroix Sparkling Water is suddenly everywhere.
The drink has been around for more than three decades, but in the last several years it has become somewhat of a status symbol for foodies, fashion icons, and fitness gurus.

At a time when soda sales are declining and many major companies like Coca Cola and Pepsi are going after the sparkling water market, how did LaCroix succeed in becoming a cult favourite?
The answer, according to one beverage industry expert, comes down to La Croix’s flashy rainbow packaging and the company’s decision not to invest in any traditional advertising campaigns.
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“With millennials these days, it’s all about authenticity and discovery, and they are suspicious of maintstream advertising messages,” says Duane Stanford, the editor of industry publication Beverage Digest.
LaCroix played right into that market by sidestepping major advertising avenues like TV ads and investing instead in social media marketing and neon-coloured packaging that would grab customers’ attention in stores.
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As soda sales have slipped, sales of sparkling water have more than of dubled over the past five years to $US1.5 billion, according to data from Euromonitor cited by the Washington Post.
http://www.businessinsider.com.au/lacroix-sales-are-exploding-2015-10