The Rise and Fall of New Coke: A Southern Tradition Betrayed

🥤Coca-Cola's decision to launch New Coke was driven by the need to compete with Pepsi, which was gaining market share in the 1980s.

🤝Southern customers had a strong emotional connection to the original Coca-Cola formula and felt that the change to New Coke represented a betrayal of their regional traditions.

📉The release of New Coke led to a tidal wave of backlash, with thousands of letters of protest flooding in from customers who were dissatisfied with the new formula.

🔁Coca-Cola eventually reintroduced the original formula as Coca-Cola Classic due to the overwhelming demand from customers. This move was seen as an admission of failure in the New Coke launch.

💪The New Coke incident served as a lesson for Coca-Cola, highlighting the power of brand loyalty and the importance of understanding regional identities when making significant changes to a product.

Why did Coca-Cola replace the original formula with New Coke?

—Coca-Cola launched New Coke in an attempt to compete with Pepsi, which was gaining market share in the 1980s.

Why did Southern customers feel betrayed by the change to New Coke?

—Southern customers had a strong emotional connection to the original Coca-Cola formula and viewed the change as surrendering to the Yankees and betraying their regional traditions.

What was the response to the release of New Coke?

—The release of New Coke sparked a massive backlash, with thousands of letters of protest flooding in from dissatisfied customers.

Did Coca-Cola revert to the original formula?

—Yes, due to overwhelming customer demand, Coca-Cola reintroduced the original formula as Coca-Cola Classic.

What did Coca-Cola learn from the New Coke incident?

—The New Coke incident taught Coca-Cola the importance of brand loyalty and understanding regional identities when making changes to a product.

00:00Introduction to Coca-Cola's decision to launch New Coke and the backlash it received in the American South.

01:18Discussion of the factors that led to the decline of Coca-Cola's market share and the decision to introduce New Coke.

05:55Explanation of the launch of New Coke and the initial reception from customers.

08:48Overview of the negative reaction in the American South and the perception of betrayal among Southern customers.

09:50Discussion of the aftermath of the New Coke launch, including Coca-Cola's decision to bring back the original formula.