On This Day In 1985, There Were Riots In The Streets (Kind Of)
4/23/24
Ever imagine what it would be like if the most popular thing you can think of was gone? What if hamburgers and pizzas were banned, or TV shows and movies disappeared, and no one was allowed to play or watch sports?
I know. It sounds like the apocalypse, doesn’t it? But it really happened in 1985, the day that Coke® disappeared from the shelves and was replaced with New Coke, a sweeter product. I don’t consume a lot of soda, but I’m sure there was a two-liter bottle of soda somewhere in my fridge in 1985 (by the way, the two-liter soda bottles didn’t exist until 1970. Before then, all soft drinks came mostly in glass bottles or were sold in 12-ounce cans or by the gallon), and Coke was practically a food group.
So, I was shocked when Coke decided to change their formula. At the time, it was considered one of the “marketing blunder of the century.” Calls flooded the 1-800-GET-COKE hotline. It was bad enough that a new product was introduced, but the product that people loved was taken away.
Someone even wrote a letter to the CEO of Coke, addressed simply to, “Chief Dodo, The Coca‑Cola Company.” Another person wrote to him asking for his autograph—because, in years to come, the signature of “one of the dumbest executives in American business history” would be worth a fortune.
Ouch. That must have stung. I wonder if the CEO ever considered firing himself.
“Uh, have a seat self. We’ve known each other for a long time, and you’ve dumb some stupid things, but I just can’t overlook the New Coke thing. Now help me pack up our desk.”
Presumably, no one was fired for taking Coke away from Americans. I suppose Coke executives figured America had survived worse, like that time cocaine was removed as an ingredient from Coca-Cola in 1903. (Back then, cocaine was legal and a common ingredient in medicines, and people thought it was safe to use in small amounts.)
But that doesn’t mean people didn’t lose their minds in 1985 when New Coke was the only Coke sold in stores. Hoarders filled their basements with cases of Coke. Some boosted the price and sold the product prohibition-style.
Songs were written to honor the old taste, and protest groups popped up around the country carrying signs that said, “We want the real thing” and “Our children will never know refreshment.”
I remember watching the news and seeing the faces of all those depressed, angry Coke lovers. It was no wonder the Coca-Cola Company was forced to bring the original Coke back three months later (even though New Coke hung around for a while before being discontinued in 2002).
It’s funny how things worked out for Coke. They went from making the “biggest marketing blunder of the century” to realizing untold riches in free advertising. When they rebranded their old product as “Classic Coke,” they knocked Pepsi back a peg and became the top-selling soft drink in 1986.
Hmm. That’s something to think about. I think I’ll shut down my blog, tinker with the formula, maybe make it a little sweeter. How’s the “New Funny Travel Tales” strike you for a name? Getting you excited? Striking a fire in your belly?
How about if I throw in a little cocaine?
#FunnyTravelTalesisadrug-freezone
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