Test Cans

A Typical Test Can

## **What is a test can?**

When PepsiCo is working on a product, and it reaches a point where they want to see public opinions on the flavor/product before moving along, they will produce a test can. Most of the time these cans are plain aluminum cans with a white band around them that provide a flavor identification number and expiration date. These cans are obviously quite scarce as many of the cans are used for private events are are made in extremely limited amounts.

## **Test can varieties**

### Unwrapped

These cans are the ones I described above, they are plain aluminum cans, typically 12 ounces, and have minimal information about the can on them

Some of these cans will not have a white band around them, and instead will just have a sticker applied that give the ingredient information of the can and the planned name for the flavor.

### Wrapped

These cans tend to be created closer to the release of the product, once designs have been worked on or finalized, they follow the planned form factor that the can will be released in, so they can vary in sizing. The designs are not printed directly onto the can and instead have a plastic wrap around them that showcases the design.

It may be slightly difficult to identify these cans at first glance, but there are some easy ways to tell. Firstly, looking at the top of the can around the rim, you will tend to see a gap between the rim and the wrap where there is bare metal exposed. Another way is to look at the back of the can for a seam that goes from the top to bottom.

### Printed

These cans tend to be much more uncommon, but do appear from time to time. These would be cans with designs that are fully printed onto the can. On these cans there will tend to be FPO (For Position Only) markings on it that will differentiate it from a can that is intended for release. Typically the design will be different from the retail release as well

### Bottles

Test bottles are interesting as well, these will just be plain plastic bottles with a flavor for testing inside of it. These are used usually for taste testing events at Colleges. The only information on these bottles is the expiration date, production code, and flavor number.

## Well Known Test Can Examples

### Mountain Dew X

Mountain Dew X (Varient No. 506 + Power Pack) is a 14oz test can that was given out during E3 2005. Of the test cans available, this is the one that tends to appear most often for sale, despite being from 2005.

This can is also unique compared to most, being the only 14oz test can (Though this makes sense since it was made in 14oz bottles during production) and it also has more information than most cans that will typically have no sizing information.

### Dew Labs Taste Test/DEWmocracy II

Dew Labs sent out a case of 7 different prototype flavors to approximately 50 people for them to taste test and record. The top 3 flavors were then tested further ahead of Dewmocracy II

After the flavors were narrowed down to a top 3, there were further test cans sent to more Dew Labs members of these 3 flavors to have them come up with colors, names, and taglines for the flavors ahead of the retail release.

### FanDEWmonium

900 sets of 8 new Diet Mountain Dew flavors were mailed out to Mountain Dew fans to narrow down to the top two which would make it to retail stores to compete to become a 'permanent flavor'. Of the flavors, we had most of the flavors from Dewmocracy I & II return as diet flavors, Diet Ultraviolet made a return, and two brand new flavors, Diet Crave and Diet Flare, made their 'debut'. These cans are slightly unique in that they have a logo sticker attached to them to provide the logo name and color