Here they come to snuff the rooster
Tampico Energy drink
I been looking all over for these ever since I saw the can. I was surprised at how hard it was to find in my area which has a large Hispanic population. That is the market Tampico is going for but I checked all my local taquerias/stores and struck out every time. Then one day a fried shows up with one for me. Could not wait to try it.
Packaging: Tampico comes in a nice 16 oz black can. On the can in the center is a nice graphic of a gamecock. He is one angry looking Rooster with his spurs out and wings up. He has kind of a red tribal type tail. Above the bird is “Tampico” in white font and “energy” in silver font. Below the rooster is and orange tribal graphic with “Citrus” printed in it. Around the top of the can is a list of ingredients and on the back is nutrition information. On one side is a paragraph that reads “If you’re searching for mas energia- you just found it.” I’m not going type the whole paragraph but it is worth reading if you get the chance. I give them a B for packaging. This is a nice looking can with a great graphic that makes it stand out. Without words you would know this is an energy drink.
Slogans: “El mas Bravo” is the slogan. This means “The meaner one” or so I have been told. Nice little slogan I think. It is like saying this is one bad ass drink. I give them a grade of B for slogan.
Taste ect. It says this is a citrus drink. I been seeing this a lot lately. Citrus really could be one of many flavors. Orange, lemon, lime, tangerine, grapefruit, or a combination of these flavors. I pour some in a cup and it is a strange bright orange color that is hard to describe. It smells sweet and when I taste it. Whoa that is one super sour orange flavor. It bites hard at the back of your jaw and it takes half the can before you get used to the sourness. There is maybe a little tangerine mixed in and it is super sweet. I’m sorry but I have to give this a grade of D for flavor.
Kick/Ingredients: Lets get right down to it. If this drink rocks out in the kick department maybe I can overlook the painful flavor. Unfortunately it fails in the kick department. It has all the necessary ingredients like caffeine, Guarana, taurine, ginseng, inositol , and a few B vitamins but I just did not get a big kick. There is 54 grams of sugar(surose and glucose) and 220 calories. It loses points for having 2 preservatives but gets some back for not using HFC. I still give it a D for kick. For a 16 oz drink it falls flat.
Web presence. Tampico has a website Tampico.com but you won’t find and information at all about Tampico energy there. On the can is a website elmasbravo.com but it is a dead link. There used to be a site but it is gone. I’m thinking this is one of the many drinks that failed. I give them a grade of D for web presence. Little to know information at all out there.
Recap:
Tampico sought to tap into a huge Hispanic market. They got the packaging down I think but forgot to make a top notch product taste and kick wise. I think they did not give it enough time and effort to make it stick. To Tampico energy I say no mas no mas .