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In 2005, The Coca-Cola Company was looking to compete in the growing energy drink market with the introduction of a new citrus-flavored soda they called Vault.
They marketed it as a “hybrid energy soda.”
The goal was to compete against brands like Red Bull and Monster Energy.
Vault was infused with 70 mg of caffeine per serving—or about half the caffeine of a can of Red Bull.
Coca-Cola hoped that a moderate amount of caffeine would position the drink with a broader consumer base.
Through Vault, the Coca-Cola company sought to bring energy to the masses, moving the category beyond just hardcore gym rats and gamers.
However, they failed to hit the mark; Vault was discontinued soon after.
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Despite Coca-Cola promoting Vault as the next big, it never seemed to resonate with consumers in its six year lifespan.
They put millions of dollars into marketing Vault by running TV commercials and web advertisements targeting the youth.
They sponsored action sports events and concerts.
For a time in the late 2000s, the green Vault logo was everywhere, appearing on billboards and vending machines.
The extensive promotional campaigns failed to convert into sales.
Vault’s national sales stagnated after its launch in 2005.
Vault struggled to build a loyal fan base or stand out in the energy drink aisle.
The neon green color used for Vault turned consumers off.
The fluorescent green fluid appeared radioactive, associating it with toxic sludge.
Coca-Cola’s extensive product testing identified the neon green color as alluring for the young people, but it failed to pick up a larger consumer base.
Critics went on to claim that Vault was a “frankendrink” better suited for mad scientists than public consumption.
There were also some conspiracy theories.
One theory suggests that Coca-Cola set up Vault to fail to make room for their Full Throttle energy drink.
However, there is little evidence to support this claim.
Diverting resources into a new brand just to undermine it would have been highly risky for Coke.
In the late 2000s, scrutiny was increasing on energy drinks and supplements containing herbal stimulants like ginseng and guarana.
Some feared these stimulants’ health risks.
Calls for greater regulation put pressure on products like Vault.
Ginseng, an ingredient in many energy drinks, was under review by the FDA.
Meanwhile, the FDA imposed restrictions on levels of guarana.
In an effort to make Vault appeal to young males, some of the brand’s advertising campaigns took on a provocative turn, using imagery and messaging with strong sexual overtones.
However, these ads undermined Vault’s mainstream potential.
One Vault commercial featured buxom, scantily clad twins seductively dancing and splashing in a kiddie pool filled with Vault soda.
Print ads were filled with taglines like “Get your mind out of the gutter” and “Vault satisfies”.
This pandering to adolescent male fantasies led to backlash.
Some people called it soft porn.
After nearly six years of lackluster sales, the Coca-Cola Company finally threw in the towel on Vault 2011, discontinuing it in most places.
Despite ceasing production of pre-bottled Vault, Coca-Cola allowed some third-party distributors and restaurant chains to continue offering it as a fountain beverage.
Hardee’s fast food franchises continued serving Vault from their soda fountains into the 2010s.
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After nearly a decade of its discontinuation, the Vault brand returned in 2019 for a promotional tie-in with the post-apocalyptic video game Fallout 76.
Coca-Cola brought it back in special Fallout 76-branded packaging, playing into the game’s nuclear-era aesthetics.
A few limited production runs of real life Vault were produced to generate buzz, using bottle caps to mimic the game’s currency.
Just months after its release, Vault was discontinued again.
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