Since its introduction in 1886, Coke was always "the real thing" for cola drinkers, soaring to a whopping 60% market share after the end of World War II. By the 1980s, however, a new generation of soft drink consumers had drifted away, preferring Pepsi and other sodas. So in April 1985, after extensive research and blind taste tests, Coca-Cola launched its "new Coke" formula. The response was so negative that Coke abandoned the new formula after just 77 days. TV anchor Peter Jennings announced the return of Coke Classic by interrupting the popular daytime soap General Hospital to give US viewers the news.
Classic turnaround for Coke:
- By the end of 1985, Coca-Cola Classic was outselling both New Coke and Pepsi by substantial margins. New Coke, eventually rebranded Coke II, continued to fizzle, finally disappearing from store shelves for good in 2002.
- Coca-Cola is the best-selling soft drink in in the world -- it was recognized as the No. 1 global brand in 2010. The Middle East is one of the few places where Coke is not the top-selling drink.
- In 2006, a Coca-Cola employee and two other people were arrested and charged with trying to sell trade secrets to rival PepsiCo for $1.5 million USD. Coke claimed its secret original formula was never at risk.