Tarax

Tarax is an Australian soft-drink brand with roots in Victoria. The name began with an independent beverage business established by George Pethard Snr., an English-born storeman working in Numurkah. The company initially sold a herbal, non-alcoholic drink described as a yeast-free “non-alcoholic beer” under the name Taraxale. The shortened brand name Tarax was derived from taraxacum, the Latin name for dandelion, reflecting the botanical association of the original drink. George Pethard Jnr. joined his father’s business in 1898. In 1902 he moved the operation to Bendigo, where he established the business behind Taraxville, his home in Golden Square. The enterprise expanded during the period between the First and Second World Wars, including the development of Tarax Bars across Victoria. These venues helped make the name more than a packaged drink label by giving it a visible retail and hospitality presence in the state. After the Second World War, Tarax concentrated on conventional carbonated soft drinks. The brand developed a broad flavour portfolio, including lemonade, orange, lime under the Limelite name, kola, lemon, pineapple, raspberry under the Crimson name, root beer, bitter lemon, Solo, Panda and the American-style Dixi-Cola. Tarax reached its strongest position during the 1960s, when it was one of the leading soft-drink brands in Victoria. Its products were sold in bottles and, as packaging technology developed, cans. Tarax also became known for marketing and presentation. The company sponsored the Tarax Happy Show on television from 1957, initially associated with Happy Hammond and later with “Uncle” Norman Swain. Its mascot, Tommy Tarax, appeared on bottle tops, advertising displays and television as a puppet presented with ventriloquist Ron Blaskett. Advertising connected the brand with Australian Rules Football through the Tarax Top Ten campaign and related jingles. Packaging innovation was another part of its profile; the company was associated with the development and use of steel cans for soft drinks. In the 1950s Tarax received an Australian Institute of Food Science and Technology award for its co-production of a flame spin sterilizer. The business also undertook activities beyond its core soft-drink range. At its Huntingdale site it produced UDL pre-mixed alcoholic drinks for many years and made an unsuccessful attempt to introduce a flavoured ultra-high-temperature milk drink in a can. Cadbury Schweppes acquired Tarax in 1972 but retained it as a regional brand intended to complement the group’s nationally marketed soft drinks. During the 1970s the brand was repositioned, with several flavours discontinued and Black Label variants introduced for lemonade and orange. The related advertising featured actress Abigail and later Pamela Gibbons, who was also associated with the television series Number 96. Tarax’s prominence declined after the 1970s, although reference material indicates that the name continued to be sold, mainly through supermarket distribution, with substantially less visibility than during its Victorian peak. The current ownership and operating status of the brand are not established in the supplied sources.

Tarax developed from a Victorian beverage business founded by George Pethard Snr. in Numurkah. The earliest product was a herbal soft drink called Taraxale, described as a yeast-free, non-alcoholic beer. The word Tarax came from taraxacum, the Latin term for dandelion. George Pethard Jnr. entered the business in 1898 and moved it to Bendigo in 1902, establishing operations associated with Taraxville in Golden Square. The company expanded during the interwar period, including the establishment of Tarax Bars throughout Victoria. Following the Second World War, it moved away from its original herbal-drink identity and focused on conventional carbonated beverages. Its range eventually covered numerous flavour categories, including lemonade, orange, lime, kola, lemon, pineapple, raspberry, root beer, bitter lemon, Solo, Panda and Dixi-Cola. Tarax was particularly successful in Victoria and reached a peak during the 1960s. Marketing was central to the brand’s historical importance. Tarax sponsored television’s Tarax Happy Show from 1957, with presenters Happy Hammond and later “Uncle” Norman Swain. Tommy Tarax served as a recurring mascot on bottle tops, point-of-sale materials and television, where the character appeared as a puppet operated in association with ventriloquist Ron Blaskett. Tarax advertising also used Australian Rules Football associations and jingles, including the Tarax Top Ten campaign. The company was additionally associated with packaging development, including steel soft-drink cans. Tarax received an Australian Institute of Food Science and Technology award during the 1950s for its co-production of a flame spin sterilizer. Its operations later included production of UDL pre-mixed alcoholic drinks at the Huntingdale site. An attempt to sell a flavoured UHT milk drink in a can was unsuccessful. Cadbury Schweppes acquired Tarax in 1972. Rather than immediately eliminating the name, the new owner retained it as a regional brand that complemented its national soft-drink portfolio. The 1970s brought a range rationalisation and a repositioning around Black Label lemonade and orange. Advertisements for the line featured actress Abigail and later Pamela Gibbons. Tarax’s market prominence declined after the 1970s. It nevertheless remained associated with Australian supermarket soft-drink distribution according to the available reference material. The supplied sources do not establish a current corporate owner, precise present-day product range, or definitive active or discontinued status.

1. 1972Acquisition by Cadbury Schweppes

   Cadbury Schweppes acquired Tarax and retained it as a regional soft-drink brand.

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2. 1960Peak Victorian prominence

   Tarax reached its peak as one of the leading soft-drink brands in Victoria during the 1960s.

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3. 1957Tarax Happy Show sponsorship begins

   The brand began sponsoring the Tarax Happy Show on television, initially presented by Happy Hammond.

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4. 1950Recognition for flame spin sterilizer work

   Tarax won an Australian Institute of Food Science and Technology award for its co-production of a flame spin sterilizer.

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5. 1902Operations move to Bendigo

   George Pethard Jnr. moved the business to Bendigo and established operations associated with Taraxville in Golden Square.

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6. 1898George Pethard Jnr. joins the family business

   George Pethard Jnr. joined the beverage business founded by his father.

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Historically positioned as a broad-range Australian soft-drink brand with strong Victorian roots, distinctive flavour names, family-oriented television marketing and regional distribution. After its acquisition by Cadbury Schweppes, Tarax was maintained as a regional complement to national beverage brands.

• Tarax lemonadeCarbonated soft drink

  Lemonade was one of Tarax’s core carbonated soft-drink products and remained part of the brand’s established Victorian flavour portfolio. The later Black Label variant represented a 1970s attempt to refresh and differentiate the line.

• Tarax orangeCarbonated soft drink

  Orange soft drink was among Tarax’s principal fruit-flavoured offerings. A Black Label orange variant was introduced during the brand’s 1970s repositioning and product rationalisation.

• LimeliteLime soft drink

  Limelite was Tarax’s branded lime-flavoured soft drink. It formed part of the company’s wide range of named flavours during the period when the brand was a major Victorian competitor.

• CrimsonRaspberry soft drink

  Crimson was the name used for a Tarax raspberry-flavoured soft drink. The product illustrates the brand’s practice of assigning distinctive sub-names to individual flavours.

• Tarax Top Ten flavoursMulti-flavour soft-drink range

  The Tarax Top Ten concept presented the brand as a broad selection of popular flavours. It was promoted through advertising associated with Australian Rules Football and positioned the variety of the range as a reason to choose Tarax.

• Dixi-ColaCola soft drink

  Dixi-Cola was an American-style cola product included in Tarax’s historical range of carbonated drinks.

• 1970Black Label

  Australia · Victoria

  Tarax introduced Black Label versions of its lemonade and orange drinks while discontinuing several other flavours. The advertising featured actress Abigail and later Pamela Gibbons.

  Outcome. The campaign formed part of a 1970s attempt to reinvent the brand as its previous market prominence weakened.

  Source
• 1960Tommy Tarax

  Australia · Victoria

  Tommy Tarax was used as a brand mascot on bottle tops, advertising displays and television. The television character appeared as a puppet in performances involving ventriloquist Ron Blaskett.

  Outcome. The mascot provided Tarax with a recognizable character identity across packaging, retail promotion and broadcast advertising.

  Source
• 1960Tarax Top Ten

  Australia · Victoria

  The Tarax Top Ten campaign promoted the brand’s range of popular flavours and linked the advertising to Australian Rules Football.

  Outcome. The campaign reinforced Tarax’s image as a broad, popular regional soft-drink choice.

  Source
• 1957Tarax Happy Show

  Australia · Victoria

  Tarax sponsored a long-running television program known as the Tarax Happy Show. Happy Hammond served as compere initially, followed later by “Uncle” Norman Swain.

  Outcome. The sponsorship gave Tarax a sustained family-entertainment presence and helped embed the brand in Victorian popular culture.

  Source

• 1972Cadbury Schweppes acquires TaraxM&A

  Tarax had developed as a significant regional soft-drink brand, especially in Victoria.

  What changed. Cadbury Schweppes took over the company and continued marketing Tarax as a regional brand alongside its national soft-drink brands.

  Aftermath. Tarax remained available with reduced prominence, while its role shifted from major independent Victorian brand to regional label within a larger beverage portfolio.

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• 19701970s brand reinventionStrategy

  The brand’s popularity had begun to decline from its earlier peak, prompting a review of its product and marketing mix.

  What changed. Tarax discontinued several flavours and introduced Black Label lemonade and orange variants supported by an extensive advertising campaign.

  Aftermath. The repositioning did not restore Tarax to its former prominence, although the brand continued to appear in supermarket distribution according to the available reference material.

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• 1945Focus shifts to conventional carbonated soft drinksStrategy

  After the Second World War, Tarax moved away from the herbal drink tradition associated with its original Taraxale product.

  What changed. The company concentrated its business on conventional carbonated soft drinks and expanded its flavour range.

  Aftermath. This strategy supported Tarax’s growth as a mainstream Victorian soft-drink brand, particularly during the 1960s.

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• 1972Cadbury Schweppes acquires Tarax

  Cadbury Schweppes took over Tarax and continued to market it as a regional soft-drink brand alongside its national beverage brands.

  M&A
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• 1970Tarax introduces Black Label variants

  During the 1970s, Tarax dropped several flavours and introduced Black Label versions of its lemonade and orange drinks as part of a brand reinvention.

  Product generationCampaign
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• 1957Tarax sponsors the Tarax Happy Show

  Tarax began sponsoring the long-running Tarax Happy Show, strengthening the brand’s television presence and family-oriented public identity.

  Campaign
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1. Tarax