Throwback Thursday from the News 12 Archives: New Coke
Atlanta (WDEF) In April of 1985, they were calling it the boldest marketing move in U.S. corporate history.
Now we call it one of the biggest failures in corporate history.
Thirty yeas ago today, Coca Cola unleashed New Coke on the world.
And they were ending the old formula created in Atlanta and first bottled here in Chattanooga.
Back in the 1980s, Coke’s domination of the soda world was being hard pressed by Pepsi, losing market share to them for 15 years in a row.
So they chose a bold path, change the formula for the first time in 90 years to appeal to younger drinkers.
New Coke was more syrupy and tasted suspiciously like Pepsi.
Our story comes from May of 1985, when the new version started rolling off the line at our local bottlers. (video to the left, catch Luther’s first taste test of the new product)
And you can see the optimism the company felt about their new direction.
"You either love it or don’t notice the difference."
It turns out the public came up with a third option, hating it.
And the New Coke rebellion came right here in the Southeast, Coke’s home territory.
It sold well up north, but bombed here.
CEO Robert Goizueta told of a letter addressed to "Chief Dodo, The Coca-Cola Company."
He joked that the most annoying part was that they delivered it to him.
Three months later, the company announced they would bring back the old formula along with the new.
The new formula would fade away, but the controversy actually boosted sales of the old formula.
That led some to question whether the hole thing was a plot by Coca Cola to boost sales.
And it worked.
Finally, we leave you with one last New Coke ad, as a commentary on which classics stand the test of time.
And which don’t.
Now we call it one of the biggest failures in corporate history.
Thirty yeas ago today, Coca Cola unleashed New Coke on the world.
And they were ending the old formula created in Atlanta and first bottled here in Chattanooga.
Back in the 1980s, Coke’s domination of the soda world was being hard pressed by Pepsi, losing market share to them for 15 years in a row.
So they chose a bold path, change the formula for the first time in 90 years to appeal to younger drinkers.
New Coke was more syrupy and tasted suspiciously like Pepsi.
Our story comes from May of 1985, when the new version started rolling off the line at our local bottlers. (video to the left, catch Luther’s first taste test of the new product)
And you can see the optimism the company felt about their new direction.
"You either love it or don’t notice the difference."
It turns out the public came up with a third option, hating it.
And the New Coke rebellion came right here in the Southeast, Coke’s home territory.
It sold well up north, but bombed here.
CEO Robert Goizueta told of a letter addressed to "Chief Dodo, The Coca-Cola Company."
He joked that the most annoying part was that they delivered it to him.
Three months later, the company announced they would bring back the old formula along with the new.
The new formula would fade away, but the controversy actually boosted sales of the old formula.
That led some to question whether the hole thing was a plot by Coca Cola to boost sales.
And it worked.
Finally, we leave you with one last New Coke ad, as a commentary on which classics stand the test of time.
And which don’t.
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