New Coke

[Lord Garth]

I just tried New Coke. Even though I was around in 1985, I don't remember it very well, so I don't know if I had New Coke before. And, if I did, at six years old I didn't know what it really was.

So, from the time I learned about the debacle of New Coke, after the fact, I was always curious about what it tasted like, what the big deal was, and why some people hated it so much. And now, thanks to Stranger Things Season 3 taking place in the summer of 1985, and Coca-Cola wanting to push the product as a cross-promotion, I finally got to find out what New Coke tastes like.

So what did I think? It's sweeter, but it also doesn't have the same harsher, sparkly quality that I like about regular Coke. It doesn't taste like Pepsi but it does taste a lot closer to it. Overall, I prefer Coca Cola Classic, but New Coke isn't bad. I like it. I think if it were introduced as just another flavor, instead of something meant to replace Old Coke, then it probably wouldn't have been taken off the shelves.

 

[Kor]

But is it the same formula as in 1985?

Kor

 

[Lord Garth]

But is it the same formula as in 1985?

Kor

Not that it necessarily means anything in actuality, but the can says "1985 Limited Edition". Some obscure ingredient or dosage of an ingredient might be different, like was the case with the re-release of Crystal Pepsi, but who knows? Rhetorical question. I have a friend who says they remember what New Coke tasted like and so I'll use their opinion as my guage when I get a chance.

 

[Timewalker]

I remember trying it and didn't like it. Mind you, I'm not sure if the Canadian version was different from the American one. I do know that the Coke you get in Canada isn't like the Coke in the U.S. (something a friend and I tested on the weekend we spent in Spokane at a Doctor Who event in 1987).

 

[Owain Taggart]

I remember New Coke had a huge marketing push to the point that they actually sent cans as a sample to every door. Not long after, I remember the backlash and I also remember the scramble to get Classic Coke to market. For several years, both of them were available side by side. I don't think they completely disappeared until the early to mid-90's.

 

[Marc]

reading through a click-bait article on things you didn't know about coke there's a claim that it New Coke was actually based on the recipe for diet coke which differs from the real thing and that new coke actually lingered until 2002.

https://www.msn.com/en-ca/lifestyle...coca-cola/ss-AACRjA6?ocid=spartandhp#image=15

 

[Timby]

I had New Coke once when I was a kid, after they had already re-branded it once to Coke II. I remember my mom bought me a can along with a comic book when we stopped at the Book Nook in Lisle, IL (long-since closed, sadly). To me, it tasted pretty much like Pepsi, and even young Timby thought to himself, "Wait, if people wanted Coke to taste like Pepsi, wouldn't they just ... buy Pepsi?"

Read a very interesting case study about that whole in my Integrated Marketing Communications course during my senior year of college in 2005.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

I tried it in 1985 because the San Diego Navy base had Coke machines near the barracks and only liked it because it tasted like Pepsi.

 

[Turd Ferguson]

Man I've been all over this area trying to find some. We never got Crystal Pepsi when it was out, either. I guess I'll have to head up to Lexington to see if I can score some!

 

[Relayer1]

Haven't seen any yet although I tried it back in the day.

Doubt I'll like it as I don't like Coke which is too sweet or Pepsi, which is even worse - horrible !

I do like Diet Coke very much, but I don't think that bodes well for my liking New Coke.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

Haven't seen any yet although I tried it back in the day.

Doubt I'll like it as I don't like Coke which is too sweet or Pepsi, which is even worse - horrible !

I do like Diet Coke very much, but I don't think that bodes well for my liking New Coke.

No soda tastes like it did 30 or 40 years ago. We drank RC in the 70's and it tastes like utter crap now. Then there's the difference between bottled and fountain mixes of the same product.

 

[Redfern]

Ginger ale for me. Packs a bigger burp for the fun factor!

 

[Marc]

No soda tastes like it did 30 or 40 years ago. We drank RC in the 70's and it tastes like utter crap now. Then there's the difference between bottled and fountain mixes of the same product.

Think RC and it's Canadian cousin Cotts have been through a few owners which probably doesn't help things.

The latter used to be in dollorama stores here but seems to have largely gone the way of the dodo but did find some in a dollartree.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

Think RC and it's Canadian cousin Cotts have been through a few owners which probably doesn't help things.

The latter used to be in dollorama stores here but seems to have largely gone the way of the dodo but did find some in a dollartree.

RC cola is part of the Dr. Pepper Snapple group now, and they've screwed up Dr. Pepper so bad I can't drink it anymore. It has a weird aftertaste I don't like. At least there's Pibb for whatever that flavor is.

 

[JirinPanthosa]

I mostly stopped drinking colas because the taste isn't good enough to justify the unhealthiness.

But I like the 'real sugar' versions of both Coke and Pepsi way more than than HFCS versions.

 

[Marc]

and they've screwed up Dr. Pepper so bad I can't drink it anymore.

some might argue that Dr Pepper was never drinkable to start with First time I tried it my reaction was "WTF?" and my father-in-law got a big laugh out of the look on my face.

Think there are 3 sodas I will not drink unless dying for first, Dr Pepper, Fresca and Big Sars (an Australian one that is aniseed flavoured - I like licorice but it's just too much)

 

[Avro Arrow]

I don't know that I've ever had New Coke. If I have, I certainly don't remember it.

Not long after, I remember the backlash and I also remember the scramble to get Classic Coke to market.

One almost wonders if the whole debacle was intentional? Talk about a huge advertising boost for the original Coke...

Mind you, I'm not sure if the Canadian version was different from the American one. I do know that the Coke you get in Canada isn't like the Coke in the U.S. (something a friend and I tested on the weekend we spent in Spokane at a Doctor Who event in 1987).

I just recently found out that the version of Oreos we get is different than the one Americans get. Supposedly our cream filling is different from theirs. (And people that have tried both claim theirs is better.) I'm curious now as to what the American version tastes like.

 

[urbandefault]

They've hit the jackpot with the "Mexican Coke" thing.

Sell the high fructose corn syrup stuff as standard in the US, but market the "Mexican" real cane sugar version at a premium.

Condemn it if you must, but this is capitalism at its core. Give the people what they want, at a price they will pay.

God Bless America.

 

[XCV330]

They've hit the jackpot with the "Mexican Coke" thing.

Sell the high fructose corn syrup stuff as standard in the US, but market the "Mexican" real cane sugar version at a premium.

Condemn it if you must, but this is capitalism at its core. Give the people what they want, at a price they will pay.

God Bless America.

using government regs to make importing low priced sugar all but impossible to America thus making hfcs the defacto choice sweetener for soda makers wanting to increase their margin helps too. Sugar prices in America are artificial primarily to protect deep south sugar growers.

 

[Unicron]

One almost wonders if the whole debacle was intentional? Talk about a huge advertising boost for the original Coke...

The guy who was a CEO at Coke at the time of the controversy rather aptly said that the company was neither smart enough or dumb enough to make New Coke deliberately terrible in order to boost sales of the original. From what I understand, they genuinely wanted to do the right thing in changing the formula, but got a bit ahead of themselves and underestimated what the popular consumer response would be (even if a good part of that response was arguably biased, as many people never actually tried the new formula or assumed they'd always favor the original).

I just recently found out that the version of Oreos we get is different than the one Americans get. Supposedly our cream filling is different from theirs. (And people that have tried both claim theirs is better.) I'm curious now as to what the American version tastes like.

Nowadays Oreo tends to make a lot of oddball seasonal flavors. Not sure if that's as common up in the Frigid Northlands.