If you look at the designs of Coca-Cola cans and bottles over the past 100 years, there is hardly any difference in the font of the company’s logo, although shapes and sizes did vary. While competitor brands such as Pepsi or Dr.Pepper have gone through at least two to three changes in their visual trademark, with the forming having had more than 10, Coca-Cola hardly ever did this because it has never been necessary to do so. In fact, the drink was so iconic that its name became the interchangeable synonym of ‘soda’, or ‘soft drink’. If you say something like: “I want a can of Coke?”, it is not so surprising to hear the other person reply with: “Sure, what kind of Coke?” The taste had been an all-time favorite to many, and the fact that Coca-Cola had done nothing to improve upon what they were selling is the ultimate proof.
That was until Coca-Cola decided to experiment with their own products. Following a slight sales decline by 1985, due to customers’ tendency shifting towards diet soft drinks, Coca-Cola decided to take action by introducing an all-new type of Coca-Cola: the New Coke. During this same period, blind taste tests were conducted, and people were reacting more positively towards Pepsi (at the time Pepsi-Cola), praising its sweeter taste over Coca-Cola. Therefore, Coca-Cola went full force on developing their new and rebranded drinks, quickly releasing them into the market. In fact, they were so sure that the New Coke was what the consumers wanted, that they immediately stopped the production of the old formula.
On April 23, 1985, American citizens walked down to their local groceries to find their beloved soft drink having a quite different look. Instead of a red can with silver top and the word ‘Coca-Cola’ written onto it, customers were greeted with rows of ‘New Coke’. Even large fast food chains such as McDonald’s started importing the new drink for their daily serving. Curious to find out how Coke tastes, people flocked in to bring home a block or two. The company had its initial success, with sales being up 8% over the same period as the year before. The majority of people who tried out the new drink said they preferred the new taste, and 75% of the responders said they would love to buy more.
However, during the next three months, the backlash was immense. While some believe that consumers at the time soon grew tired of the sweeter taste, it was actually another case of nostalgia. The New Coke could have been an overall better-tasting drink, but it was not Coca-Cola. As the company no longer supplied the demand of Coca-Cola, people did not hesitate to express their dissatisfaction. Old Coca fans rang the hotline 1-800-GET-COKE three times as much as per usual, clocking in at 1500 calls a day. A man in Seattle formed the organization Old Cola Drinkers of America to try to pressure Coca-Cola into re-introducing the classic formula. From then, things only began to get worse: comedians mocked the switch during shows, Coke’s ads were booed heavily during a sport match, Coke products were boycotted and emptied out on the streets of several cities, and people even started to find international suppliers where the new formula had not been introduced yet.
Finally, the Coca-Cola board decided that enough was enough, and plans were set in motion to bring back the old Coke. On the afternoon of July 11, 1985, Coca-Cola executives announced the return of the original formula, 79 days after New Coke's introduction. The new products were still sold across the US, while the old familiar formula was branded as ‘Coca-Cola Classic’, to indicate that Coca-Cola had really returned. Coca-Cola sales picked up once more, and celebrations were abounded. New Coke was renamed Coke II in 1992, and continued to be sold alongside original Coke until 2002, when it was discontinued.
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