.png)
.webp)
Soda has a long history of innovation and risk-taking. Take, for example, the translucent Crystal Pepsi, the controversial New Coke, and Orbitz, a drink suspended with gelatinous balls.
While many of these soft drinks/sodas were discontinued quickly—their legacies live on as cult favorites and nostalgic snapshots.
In the early 2000s, PepsiCo made a daring splash with Pepsi Blue. It was a neon-blue, berry-flavored soda looking to outshine Coca-Cola Vanilla. But were people who wanted vanilla going to grab a bright blue drink?
Despite celebrity endorsements and its integration into pop culture, its candy-like taste was not a big hit with consumers. By 2004, the Big Blue experiment was over.
Whistle Soda was launched in 1919. Its bold orange flavor and unique citrus blend quickly became a favorite. They even got into some legal battles with Coca-Cola over trademark disputes.
Despite its popularity, soda crashed and burned in the 1970s.
One of my favorites.
Surge was Coca-Cola’s bold 1996 answer to Mountain Dew. If you remember, it had a neon-green hue and an unapologetically extreme ’90s marketing campaign.
Though discontinued in 2003, it was revived briefly in 2014, and for a short time, you could buy it on Amazon. Thanks, Jeff Bezos!
OK soda, launched in 1993, was Coca-Cola’s bizarre foray into the grunge-era counterculture.
This might be the weirdest soft drink ever launched. It featured cryptic messages and a hotline inviting consumer feedback.
Ultimately, it was one of the most depressing products ever, disappearing from shelves in just two years.
Launched in 1963. This was Coca-Cola’s first diet soda.
Tab pioneered calorie-free beverages and had a dedicated cult following for an impressive 57 years. The fake sugars were a big hit.
Sadly, the rise of Diet Coke in the 1980s eclipsed Tab, leading to its discontinuation in 2020.
Sprite Remix, launched in 2003, brought a tropical twist to the classic Sprite formula. It was a hit with the 2000s remix culture.
Despite its flashy campaigns and cultural connections to music and dance, the drink was gone by 2005—too soon!
Launched in 2004, Coca-Cola C2 aimed to satisfy carb-conscious consumers during the height of the Atkins Diet craze.
It offered half the calories, carbs, and sugars of regular Coke.
Those cola marketers did their best, but this soda died out by 2007 as diet trends shifted and Coke Zero became the new hot chick in town.
Launched in 1995, PepsiCo’s Josta was the first significant energy soda.
It blended guarana with a bold flavor and sported a fierce black panther on its packaging.
Despite its groundbreaking formula, Josta’s wild energy fizzled out by 1999. They couldn’t keep up with the Rockstars and the Monsters of the world.
Now, here’s a slick idea.
Coca-Cola BlāK, launched in 2006, was a daring fusion of soda and coffee.
Coca-Cola actually thought it could appeal to the coffee elite. And yeah, it didn’t work out, leading to its discontinuation by 2008.
Introduced in 2002, Dr Pepper Red Fusion was the first new flavor added to the brand in over a century.
What took them so long?
It featured a bold cherry twist. Groundbreaking. Despite heavy marketing and its striking red color, it was discontinued two years later due to poor sales.
Remember Surge? Yeah, this was basically Coca-Cola trying to rebrand its failed idea.
Launched in 2005 as a bold “hybrid energy drink,” Vault promised the refreshment of a soda with the boost of an energy drink. It took aim at Pepsi’s Mountain Dew.
Despite its aggressive marketing and initial success, Vault was discontinued in 2011. I was actually a fan and was sad to see it go.
In 1981, Life Savers Soda attempted to turn the iconic candy into a drinkable experience, offering a liquid version of its fruity flavors.
Ironically, it failed because consumers found it too similar to candy. Does drinking candy sound like a good idea?
By 1982, it disappeared after just one year.
In 1985, Coca-Cola introduced “New Coke,” a drastic reformulation of its iconic recipe to counter Pepsi’s growing market share.
The public backlash was swift and intense. Consumers were rightly outraged over the perceived destruction of a beloved brand. Coca-Cola had to reintroduce the original formula as “Coca-Cola Classic” just months to save face.
Worst failure in consumer product history?
Launched in 1992, Pepsi decided to create a clear version of its flagship product.
Crystal Pepsi offered the classic Pepsi taste with a clear, “pure” appearance.
It was an apparent misfire by Pepsi, and by 1993, the product was gonzo.
In 1996, PepsiCo launched Pepsi Kona, an experimental fusion of coffee and cola aimed at riding the wave of America’s coffee obsession.
The bizarre concoction was short-lived, lasting just a year before it fizzled out in 1997 because nobody wanted it.
When will these soda giants learn?
Slice, introduced in 1984, shook up the soda scene by blending real fruit juice into vibrant flavors like apple. This is a good idea, but before it’s time, I think.
Slice hung in there until the 2000s, but sadly, it was pulled off the shelf before it could reach its full potential.
Here is a soda I would love to try for unknown reasons.
Launched in 1904, Koca Nola brazenly entered the cola wars, mirroring Coca-Cola’s name and formula. Meaning it was complete with a dash of cocaine for an extra kick of “vigor.”
It was actually famous for a time in the Southern U.S.
I wonder why?
However, Koca Nola, a company, went bust in the early 1920s; it was plagued by legal battles with Coca-Cola and shifting attitudes toward cocaine-laced beverages.
.webp)
In 2013, Coca-Cola Life sought to bridge health trends with soda cravings by sweetening its soda with stevia and cane sugar.
Come on, Coca-Cola. Nobody drinks your stuff to stay healthy, and nobody is fooled by the green color!
Despite its eye-catching green label and promises of natural ingredients, it failed and mainly was discontinued by 2020.
In 1987, 7UP Gold debuted, swapping the brand’s signature clear, citrusy profile for a darker, spiced cola flavor with hints of ginger and cinnamon. That actually sounds tasty.
The flavor failed to resonate with consumers and was rapidly discontinued in 1988.
Coca-Cola Lime, introduced in 2005, captivated consumers by blending the iconic cola flavor with added lime. Somebody in that marketing department deserves a promotion.
Despite its early popularity, the product was discontinued in the early 2010s. However, if you really miss it, you can still get it in Japan.
Aspen Soda, launched in 1978, was an attempt to offer a clear, apple-flavored soda that evoked the crispness of mountain air and orchards. It was lovely.
It had a fanbase, but sadly, more sales were needed to remove it from shelves by 1982.
Launched in 2002, dnL was a quirky, caffeinated twist on 7UP. Its name and bold green color literally turned the classic soda upside down.
This sounds so much better than 7UP!
dnL failed to catch on and was fizzled out by 2005.
Introduced in 1987, Hubba Bubba Soda attempted to bottle the nostalgic bubblegum flavor in fizzy liquid form. The soda had a bright pink hue.
So appetizing!
The pink soda failed to sustain interest, and by the late 1980s, it was gone.
Launched in 1985, Jolt Cola boldly advertised “all the sugar and twice the caffeine,” positioning itself as a rebellious alternative to the diet drink craze.
Heck yeah!
Although Jolt gained a cult following among students and tech workers for its energy-boosting punch, its popularity eventually waned. Despite attempts to revive it, the original formula faded from shelves by the late 2000s.
Launched in 1997, Orbitz stood out with its strikingly translucent liquid and floating gelatinous balls, resembling a drinkable lava lamp and marketing itself as a “texturally enhanced” beverage.
I always wanted to taste a lava lamp…
However, the unsettling texture divided consumers, and by 1998, Orbitz was discontinued.
.png){kind=logo}
.webp)
.webp)
