Local Vocal

If some local entrepreneurs have their way,



people who use their voice for a living will be grabbing a Vocal much like an athlete reaches for a Gatorade.



So what is Vocal?



It’s a natural beverage formulated to soothe, restore and refresh the voice. The product originally was developed for recording studios by its inventor, William “Jerry” Thompson, who owns a recording studio.



“For years people would come into the studio with their own concoctions, but I wondered, ‘How do they know it’s good for them?’ ” said Thompson, of Girard, a suburb of Youngstown, “Why hasn’t anyone bottled something?”



So Thompson set out in his own kitchen to come up with his own recipe for a drink that not only soothed the voice and throat, but also tasted good.



He came up with two flavors: honey lemon and honey peppermint.



So what do they taste like?



“People have used various adjectives to explain Vocal to include; deliciousness in a bottle, vocal butter, and we often get with the Vocal Harmony (honey and peppermint) that it's like drinking a peppermint patty,” Thompson said. “The mouth feel is purposely just a little thicker than water, which provides a



wonderfully natural menthol coating on your throat. I could easily agree with many of our customers who often say it is like drinking a peppermint patty.”



He describes Vocal Success (honey wonderfully natural menthol coating on your throat. I could easily agree with many of our customers who often say it is like drinking a peppermint patty.”



He describes Vocal Success (honey and lemon) as a natural sweetness of honey combined with just the right amount of lemon for a smooth, sweet and faintly tart taste.



Through his friend Jason Wallace, a Malone University graduate, Thompson met and hired Dave Snyder of Project Digital in Jackson Township to redesign the logo and rename the product, which had been called Vocal T at the time.



While developing the marketing for Vocal, Snyder liked the product so much, he hopped on board as a partial owner/investor. Completing the team are Michael Zoldan of North Canton, their financial adviser; Kirk Harper of Massillon, director of operations and sales; and Andrea Finefrock, who handles writing and communications.



Three years later, the “T” in the name Vocal T is gone, and the product is starting to take off.



“The ‘T’ was confusing to our focus groups,” said Harper. “People thought it was a tea and we were potentially competing with tea products.”



Unlike tea, Vocal has no caffeine. In fact, the owner says caffeine actually can work against the voice. Thompson said Vocal provides natural energy, because honey is a main ingredient in the drink. But they don’t market it as an energy drink.



“The (energy drink) market has been beat like a dead horse,” Wallace said.



While the product is fat- and gluten-free, it is not calorie-free, with 200 calories per bottle (100 per serving). Ingredients include filtered water, honey, sodium citrate, natural flavor, pectin and citric acid.



“Don’t freak out about the calorie count,” Wallace said with a laugh. “It is not designed to be chugged like a Coke. You sip on it, as needed.”



“I sip on it when I’m on the phone a lot,” said Harper, in agreement. “I have it cold, warm, or heated up like a tea.”



The team is marketing Vocal not only to singers, but also to actors, public officials, speakers, call center operators, clergy, and people in other professions who rely on their voice.



“Statistically, there are more people in the United States that use their voice for a living than there are athletes,” said Snyder. “It’s ironic, considering the sports beverage market is saturated with options while Vocal enters the specialty beverage market creating an entirely new category.”



Thompson said his team also is working with the oncology department of Dayton Hospital to test their product’s effect on the throats of chemotherapy patients, who often experience irritation.



Vocal is available now locally at Raisin Rack, The Auricle, Buzzbin Magazine Art & Music Shop, Healthy Heart Healthy Pleasures, Vitanet and Fishers Foods. And 91 Wood Fired Oven restaurants are using Vocal as a mixer.



Snyder said their best marketing tool now is taking the product to the customers and letting them try it. For them, it means traveling to music festivals and setting up tables.



Zoldan, their adviser, thinks they could hit a home run.



“I think the sky’s the limit. I’ve never seen anything like this and I’m confident this is a great management team to get it out there,” he said.

VOCAL TIPS

Here are a few tips for taking care of your voice:

t Do not clear your throat and avoid coughing.

t Stay away from caffeinated products.

t Rest your voice after long

periods of singing or talking.

t Avoid yelling.

t Eat a green apple instead of a red one.

t Quit smoking.

t Eat greasy potato chips to clear away phlegm.

t Do not eat dairy products that produce phlegm.

t Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!

        -www.livevocal.com



Visit www.livevocal.com for more information about the drink and

a complete list of places it is

available for purchase.