Соло: Австралийская лимонадная газировка и её история.

Australian lemon flavoured soft drink
the Norwegian soft drink by the same name

Solo is an Australian, lemon flavoured, carbonated soft drink currently manufactured under license by Asahi Breweries. First launched by Tarax in 1968 and fell to Cadbury after a takeover in 1974 its lemon flavour is inspired by Australian pubs' traditional and popular non alcoholic 'pub squash' beverage. The drink's recognition amongst the Australian population has been attributed to the brand's long lasting "Solo Man" marketing campaign, featuring numerous Australian actors. Asahi is a foreign owned, private company which is owned by Asahi Group Holdings Limited, a Japanese brewery and soft drink company. Solo is a carbonated variant of a lemon squash. In the past, Solo has come out with different variants of its original lemon flavour, namely a lemon lime flavour and zero sugar, which uses artificial sweetener as a substitute for sugar. In response to concerns associated with high sugar content, Asahi beverages and subsequently Solo signed a sugar reduction pledge in 2018. Solo aims to reduce its sugar content by 20% by the year 2025.

In 2009, Schweppes Australia commenced a three year partnership deal with Football Australia, whereby the 'Goal of the Year' was known as 'SOLO Goal of the year. BMF advertising featured Australian football player Harry Kewell. This campaign was an attempt to bring 'crushed can football' back to Australian streets. This game involves crushing a Solo can after finishing the drink and kicking it around on the street. In 2011, prior to the Football world cup in South Africa, Solo and BMF launched an online campaign called 'lucky undies' in support of the Australian Socceroos. This campaign involved the production of 225,000 garments of yellow underwear to be sold online or with the drink. Paired with a 1 minute advertisement on TV, the rest of the marketing was left to social media. The result of this was a subsequent 31,000 fan film views on social media. On May 24, 2010, Spectators of a Socceroos match held in Melbourne were handed these bright yellow underwear to wear over their clothes.

Positioned as a highly masculine drink, Solo adopts masculine marketing techniques and targets a male audience in their brand image, advertising campaigns and television commercials. This marketing strategy incorporates techniques such as portraying men through "bravery, adventurousness, being able to think rationally, being strong and effective". Historically, Solo's advertising techniques have been focused on the traditional and stereotypical aspects of masculinity in their marketing campaigns. The macho nature of the Solo Man is evident in the character partaking in extreme sports in order to ‘earn’ the drink. The portrayal of Solo Man follows common techniques used in gender advertisements. These techniques include men being alert and conscious of surroundings, standing upright, gripping things tightly with their hands, eyes open and looking around, controlled bodies, being serious and being physically active. Since being launched, Solo has progressed this masculine advertising through different extreme sporting adventures. Since 2018, Solo's “thirst worthy effort” campaign produced by TBWA advertising agency reconsiders the initial idea of what it meant to be a Solo Man. Breaking from tradition, the advertising adapts to society's changing cultural perception of gender norms and redefines the Solo Man to partake in more domestic and household activities, such as constructing furniture and making costumes for a school play. After complaints that the branding of the drink appealed to minors, the Alcohol Beverages Advertising Code reviewed the case and concluded in November that Carlton & United Breweries (CUB) had breached part of the code. Asahi Breweries, owners of CUB Premium Beverages, argued that Hard Solo cans were distinct enough from the regular variety that consumers would find it hard to confuse the two, with the Hard version sporting primarily black packaging and prominent alcoholic markings. Ultimately in November 2023, CUB announced it would rename the drink to Hard Rated.

Cadbury Schweppes sold a similar citrus drink named Rondo in the United States market during the late 1970s and '80s. Using the Australian Solo as an inspiration, Cadbury Schweppes has also sold an energy drink in the U. S. called Coolah Energy. Similar to Solo, its listed ingredients included lemon flavour but with 150 mg of caffeine. It used the tagline "Energy from Down Under" and listed boronia as an ingredient, a citrus plant in Australia known more worldwide for use in floral arrangements than its fruit or energy. Coolah Energy has since been discontinued.