Coca-Cola contours cans

At a mid-March analysts meeting, "there was a lot of discussion about aluminum prototypes," says Carol Martel, a media relations spokesperson for the company. "But that's still in the testing and development stage. Nothing is in test market." That, she says, will soon change. "We're looking at a number of different designs for both materials to determine if they can be technically manufactured to perform the way they need to. Testing and development is moving rapidly and we're hoping to have something in contour cans in test market by the end of 1996, and in all probability, [it will be] aluminum," she tells PW. "But there are no conclusions about overall size or end size that should be drawn at this time." Martel confirms that, "A three-piece contour prototype has been in test markets in Germany since about a year ago," (see PW, September '95, p. 142). "Consumer reactions to the contour-shaped can in Germany were very positive. We're still in the prototype process in very specific markets in Germany. We're going to be looking at both materials with the contour shape."