Aluminum bottles are more popular than glass bottles

Although aluminum costs several times more than a glass bottle, it is favored by major American companies because of its advantages in preserving liquid.

Now that we are used to seeing 355-milliliter aluminium cans of drinks and beer, they are also introducing aluminium bottle-shaped cans, including the familiar ones Coca-Cola, Pepsi and Anheuser-Busch.

Coca-Cola pioneered aluminum bottle packaging

Coca-Cola's iconic bottled drink is about to get a new metal makeover.

The beverage giants announced that in 2008 they were the first to test aluminum bottles in the Coca-Cola and Coca-Cola Zero ranges.

Coca-Cola is the latest big name to announce a change in beverage packaging, after joining a small group of beverage makers such as Pepsi and Budweiser.

From the outside, the aluminum bottle looks different;

Most importantly, it keeps the drink cool, and while it's a little more expensive (it costs three times as much as a similarsized glass bottle), it's worth it.

Michael Sass, former chief marketing officer of juice brand Snappo, commented: "The bottle feels ice cold for a long time and looks cool!"

In Coke's case, the idea is to make drinks fresh and new in the simplest possible way, and coke's new aluminum cans will be the first to be launched with a high profile in promotions and clubs in places like Atlanta and Philadelphia.

The company is also teaming up with Caribou, the second-largest chain of coffee shops in the United States, to offer frozen canned coffee under the brand.

Other beverage giants followed suit

While coke is trying to keep it simple and use its original design, Pepsi's MountainDew collection recently introduced six different aluminum bottle beverages.

The bottles, which have been designed by renowned contemporary artists in many different fields, will appear in the retail industry in limited edition.

In May 2008, the MountainDew series will become the first carbonated beverage series in the US to use aluminum bottles.

The first 12 designs will only appear in the promotion.

"We've had great feedback from the web, blogs and event scene and are deeply aware that we are working on a big, promising project," MountainDew senior marketing Manager Marisel Tamaro said of the promotion.

In fact, as early as late December 2007, Greenlabel Art.Corn, the official website, launched the countdown for the release of new designs.

Pepsi will also be heavily promoted through the Internet, posters and print media.

A limited edition of another set of six will be launched in August 2008.

Budweiser was credited with being the first company to make extensive use of aluminum bottles in the United States.

It is owned by Anheuser-Busch (A-B), A company that also produces aluminum bottles, which are also known as Bouteur bottles.

Sales of aluminium bottles of beer have increased by 33% in 2007.

With beer having to compete with cocktails and other alcoholic beverages, Levy thinks aluminum bottles are more accessible to the high-end club market dominated by highly alcoholic beverages.

"Blended drinks such as cocktails are often considered very trendy and our aluminum bottles fill the fashion gap in beer."

Levy explained.