Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site moncol.UUCP
Path: utzoo!utcs!lsuc!pesnta!moncol!john
From: john@moncol.UUCP (John Ruschmeyer)
Newsgroups: net.followup
Subject: Re: The New COKE
Message-ID: <308@moncol.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 20-May-85 13:19:18 EDT
Article-I.D.: moncol.308
Posted: Mon May 20 13:19:18 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 20-May-85 19:15:03 EDT
References: <439@sftri.UUCP>
Organization: Monmouth College, West Long Branch, NJ 07764
Lines: 45

>From: mom@sftri.UUCP (Mark Modig)
>Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Summit N.J.
>Message-ID: <439@sftri.UUCP>
>
>Anyway, I heard that they stumbled across the formula a couple of
>years ago when they were conducting taste tests for Diet Coke.  They
>ran some marketing tests and found out that people preferred this new
>formula to the old one by a fairly large margin, as is stated above.
>
>But what I still don't understand is why the change was made, rather
>than adding the new Coke.  People who like the old Coke and bought it
>on a reasonably regular basis don't seem to like it, and many seem to
>be saying they're not going to buy the new version.

The problem is that they are already fighting the "Cola Wars" on too many
fronts- Diet Coke, Caffeine-Free Coke, Caffeine-free Diet Coke- in addition
to Tab (which I always thought was diet Coke), Sprite, Fresca, Fanta, etc.

A new flavor of Coke would have to have spun off the diet and caffeine-free
variations, therefore, it would really be like adding FOUR new softdrinks.
This would have been hell for dealers, distributors, and consumers. (Could
you see the size of the vending machine?)

From that standpoint, they made the right decision. The real question is
whether a decision needed to be made at all.


Only time will tell if Coke made the right choice. If loyalty to Old Coke
is too high, they may have cut their corporate throats. Even if it is not,
they still have to deal with Pepsi. Is this new taste enough to sway Pepsi
drinkers away from "the taste of a new generation" and get them to say,
"This is it."

*Sigh*

-- 
Name:		John Ruschmeyer
US Mail:	Monmouth College, W. Long Branch, NJ 07764
Phone:		(201) 222-6600 x366
UUCP:		...!vax135!petsd!moncol!john	...!princeton!moncol!john
						   ...!pesnta!moncol!john
Silly Quote:
		"Oh sair, it was Kahn. We found him in an unlinked
		inode. He put creatures in our bodies... made us post
		lies, say things, flame things, but keptin was strong..."