This Is What 'New Coke' Actually Looked Like In 1985
New Coke was "one of the worst marketing blunders in history," according to Time.
People still talk about it, but how many actually remember seeing the New Coke cans that were intended to replace Coca-Cola 28 years ago?
RetronautIn 1985, Coca-Cola decided upon a sweeping product change: its classic formula would be replaced by a new, sweeter recipe. New Coke came with new packaging, a new logo, and a massive ad campaign.
While most drinkers actually preferred the new flavor in a blind test, the New Coke campaign was a major flop. Coca-Cola diehards, Fidel Castro among them, were outraged; the elimination of a brand they held dear was too upsetting to ignore.
Angry letters and phone calls flooded into the Atlanta HQ, and after just 79 days, Coca-Cola was rotated back onto shelves, this time with "Classic" on the label.
Here, from our friends at the wonderful Retronaut, are some fantastic vivid images of the New Coke, and the ads that promoted it: