Coke Life: Stroke of Genius Move or Another Disaster?

Coca Cola moved forward with their plan and announced this amazing “new Coke” recipe that was an improvement on the century old product that been #1 in its industry since its inception. They thought America would be thrilled - love that the soft drink they’d known their whole lives was better than ever.

What happened next was the last thing they ever expected.

Absolute disaster. That’s what happened. What people heard was “the Coca Cola I love is gone” and almost in unison the cola drinking public exclaimed “WHAT?!” Sentiments like “how could you change Coke?!” and “are you crazy?!” were prevalent in a time with only traditional media. There were some who early adopted “new Coke” but the vast majority of consumers said loudly that this was not going to be acceptable. The brand’s loyal following revolted, sending letters, making phone calls, and boycotting Coke’s change in taste, even though in blind taste test it was thought to taste better than the original Coke.

Coca Cola sales plummeted. The media hype and grassroots buzz about this epic disaster of a decision forced the company to quickly change course. A second product called “New Coke” was launched and the original drink was launched as “Coca Cola Classic”.

So why did Coke try to make a change in the first place and why did it turn into a disaster? The company, who was almost 100 years old at this time, was quoted saying the change was made to please the more “modern taste-buds” but they failed to understand the immense power of the brand equity of Coca Cola.

Coca-Cola was more than just a drink, it was a brand and a lifestyle. So when company executives tried to tamper with Coke for their own business motives, their following took it personally–very personally. Coke had become the people’s drink. In the end, Coca-Cola came to their senses and restored Coke’s original flavor (thank goodness), and we all have been happy to “Share A Coke” with one another for the last 30 years, but they may not have fully learned their lesson with New Coke.

Fast forward to 2015 and Coke has a new product on the scene, Coke Life. Coca-Cola has come out with a new alternative to the original Coke (sound familiar?) that appeals to the health conscious consumer. Made with a third fewer calories and sugar than Coca-Cola and sweetened using a blend of sugar and naturally sourced sweetener stevia– Coke Life is the “healthier” choice when reaching for a coke. But like New Coke, the change in recipe has been heavily influenced by the “modern taste-buds” that are searching for more natural and organic options.

But is Coke once again messing with their brand? At least this time they didn’t do away with the original Coca Cola product, but taking into account the past is a “new Coke” formula and a change to green as the primary color really a good idea?

So is Coke Life the next New Coke? We haven’t seen anyone carrying pitchforks yet, but we will be watching Coke’s marketing strategy as they move forward. What do you think, would you stand behind Coke Life?