Royal Spring Water (fka RSPG)

[BillionStack]

http://www.suntimes.com/output/casual/cst-fin-casual30.html

Casual Friday
If that water tastes funny, there's a reason

June 30, 2006

BY CHRIS WHITEHEAD STAFF REPORTER

Here's a sure sign that the hydration of America may be drawing to a close. It's not the stories about the dangers of hyponatremia (too much water), although that would be logical.

No, it's the fact that National Lampoon is going to be selling water under its own name, in a deal with a California company called Royal Spring Water.

Lampoon's CEO, Dan Laikin, calls it "a phenomenal opportunity for National Lampoon to market and promote our brand name and brand products."

And he may be right. But he also says, "We expect to have several unique and funny private label products that will cater to our core audience of young adults."

Do you want to drink something unique and funny?

Laikin thinks some of you will. "With the fact that the National Lampoon cable television network reaches as many as 4.8 million students, or nearly one in four of all 18- to 24-year-old college students, we project that the new private label bottled water and flavored water will become a huge hit."

This is the work of two publicly traded companies, and both are pretty affordable.

You can pick up National Lampoon for about $1.38 a share, which is near its low for the year.

But Royal Spring is getting pricey at $2.82. Back in April, you could have gotten it for less than a buck a share. Too bad we didn't know about this deal then, eh? We could all be fabulously rich, although we'd also probably be explaining to the SEC how we managed to be so shrewd.