New Coke, 35 years on

#1

Post by totaldude87 » Thu, Apr 23, 2020, 12:58 PM UTC

Re: New Coke, 35 years on

#2

Post by stuff4ben » Thu, Apr 23, 2020, 4:11 PM UTC

I wish someone would spill the secrets of how New Coke came to be from inside CocaCola's offices. From the boardroom to the marketing dept, to the "chefs" who made the new recipe. Now that would be an interesting read. To see the decisions that were made and office politics that shaped what almost caused CocaCola to go under.

Re: New Coke, 35 years on

#3

Post by franze » Thu, Apr 23, 2020, 4:20 PM UTC

Not mentioned in the article was the "market research gone wrong". New Coke was market tested in supermarkets with taste samples and questionnaires. New Coke was preferred in these taste tests.

But the context was wrong, a small sip in the supermarket under surveillance is not a bottle at home / cinema / picknik.

But: "almost ruined" is wrong, too. After this CocaCola basically got the status as USA national heritage.

So maybe it was the most successful marketing ploy in modern history. (CocaCola denies this).

Source: Some marketing books from the 90s and 00s.

Re: New Coke, 35 years on

#4

Post by 7thaccount » Thu, Apr 23, 2020, 4:20 PM UTC

I've never had New Coke, but heard it was good. Can anyone speak to the flavor?

Re: New Coke, 35 years on

#5

Post by gambiting » Thu, Apr 23, 2020, 4:21 PM UTC

"According to Mullins, the issue was not just the new taste, but that the company had done something “un-American” - taken away his “freedom of choice”."

Ah the good old "I want freedom of choice, but if you exercise yours then that's un-American". And we think that entitlement is a 21st century invention.

Re: New Coke, 35 years on

#6

Post by denimnerd42 » Thu, Apr 23, 2020, 4:27 PM UTC

7thaccount wrote: post #4

I've never had New Coke, but heard it was good. Can anyone speak to the flavor?

you've at least heard it being more like Pepsi right?

Re: New Coke, 35 years on

#7

Post by munificent » Thu, Apr 23, 2020, 4:30 PM UTC

This "article" is a brilliant little ad for new the Stranger Things-themed re-release of New Coke.

Re: New Coke, 35 years on

#8

Post by stronglikedan » Thu, Apr 23, 2020, 4:33 PM UTC

7thaccount wrote: post #4

I've never had New Coke, but heard it was good. Can anyone speak to the flavor?

I remember it not being bad, and being preferred by my dad, who was a Pepsi drinker. However, I've always been a Coke person, and it didn't live up to Classic. That said, it probably could have been successful under a different brand name.

Re: New Coke, 35 years on

#9

Post by acwan93 » Thu, Apr 23, 2020, 4:35 PM UTC

7thaccount wrote: post #4

I've never had New Coke, but heard it was good. Can anyone speak to the flavor?

When I visited Coke’s HQ in Atlanta and did the public tour, there was a section where you can sample all the different Coke flavors from all around the world.

I asked about New Coke and the guide gave me a sour look. I guess the question gets asked really frequently.

Re: New Coke, 35 years on

#10

Post by ashtonkem » Thu, Apr 23, 2020, 4:35 PM UTC

franze wrote: post #3

Not mentioned in the article was the "market research gone wrong". New Coke was market tested in supermarkets with taste samples and questionnaires. New Coke was preferred in these taste tests. But the context was wrong, a small sip in the supermarket under surveillance is not a bottle at home / cinema / picknik. But: "almost ruined" is wrong, too. After this CocaCola basically got the status as USA national heritage…

The position of insiders in Coca Cola is literally “we wish we were smart enough to have planned this as a marketing ploy, but it was dumb luck and mistakes”.