When on this day in 1985, The Coca Cola Company introduced “New! Coke”, they were aided and abetted by Burson-Marsteller, a big PR agency and my former employers. The drink, meant to compete with Pepsi, was an unalloyed disaster. It outraged customers across the world and was discontinued three months later, only to be introduced later as Coke II. It went down as one of the worst consumer products in corporate history. Even Fidel Castro was appalled, calling it an example of Capitalist decadence. Now, of course, you can get Coke infused with coffee, cheeries, limes, tea, vitamins, Stevia and tree stump paste. My best Coca Cola experience was exactly 60 years ago in Lake George, NY. Here’s what happened.
© 2024 John Oliver
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