tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3748335246635491217.post6144006216270235548..comments2023-08-26T08:57:16.428-05:00Comments on Wrigley Roster Jenga: New CokeTony Burbshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17916383902665781661noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3748335246635491217.post-63860908914284345212015-09-12T03:15:52.252-05:002015-09-12T03:15:52.252-05:00Because I can't resist, in spite of JediJeff&#...Because I can't resist, in spite of JediJeff's response.<br /><br />"Now, was it even actually different and not just a marketing scheme? Did it actually taste that bad?"<br /><br />Yes and no and yes. I was not only alive but nearly 30 when New Coke arrived. It was the eighties and New Coke was soooo 80s. It was different and it was awful. My recollection was it was too sweet for one thing; it was like drinking out of the sugar bowl (oh, c'mon, like you've never done that). I've always presumed it was a marketing scheme, though Coke denies it and most reporters seem to believe Coke rather than the CT dudes.<br /><br />Just to add a few contrary facts to JediJeff's account... Coke actually spent quite a bit marketing New Coke. There was a whole buildup campaign and, when it finally launched, you couldn't find a commercial break on the tube that didn't include an ad for New Coke. Cosby was the spokesperson. So, absolutely, there was LOTS of free press coverage, but their own ad buys were far larger than their usual. And Cosby didn't come cheap in those days.<br /><br />In spite of the overall public backlash, a lot of people actually liked New Coke. The new formula had been tested and, in blind tests, was preferred by an overwhelming majority of taste testers. Problem is "brand loyalty" is a real thing and we older people who liked Coke didn't want it messed with. But, anyway, as you, yourself, note, New Coke continued to be manufactured and sold alongside Classic Coke for many years. If you were doing a scam, would you still brew and sell the "fraudulent" product for nearly 20 years? For all I know, its still being sold overseas.<br /><br />The prevailing opinion seems to be that Coke committed a huge marketing blunder (not deliberately) that somehow worked out incredibly well for them.<br /><br />Now let me tell you about SoHo Soda, a remarkable and all natural soft drink that was taking off so fast, Seagrams (of all people) bought the company and the formula so that they could insure it would never be sold again. Now that's a scandal. (God, I miss Soho Soda).Stubbyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07010142558613227433noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3748335246635491217.post-324370822770365022015-09-12T00:27:56.461-05:002015-09-12T00:27:56.461-05:00I'm definitely interested by these Platinum Se...I'm definitely interested by these Platinum Series cards. MLB Showdown is still my all-time favorite board game, and I'm more than willing to give others a shot. I'll have to see if I can pick up a starter pack on the cheap.Nickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13508921644099472101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3748335246635491217.post-72449311760835434952015-09-11T17:46:31.767-05:002015-09-11T17:46:31.767-05:00I'm intrigued by Platinum Series Baseball, and...I'm intrigued by Platinum Series Baseball, and I wish them success where others have failed, but I know very well how the deck is stacked against them. I would like to get some of the relievers and backup catchers that they seem to include, but I do wish the cards were a little more attractive (with or without logos).<br /><br />I was also going to explain New Coke to you, but JediJeff did a fine job, so there you go.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3748335246635491217.post-71931005570707056162015-09-11T17:04:19.867-05:002015-09-11T17:04:19.867-05:00Well, I've reviewed your essay on New Coke and...Well, I've reviewed your essay on New Coke and I give it an A+; it was very informative. Seriously though, that did help fill me in quite a bit.<br /><br />Also, I've come to realize (upon even further research) that I have actually tasted New Coke. I did not realize that the short-lived Coke II was just New Coke by a different name. It used to pop up in Target around here until the turn of the century or so. That said, I have no memory of how it tasted, just that it was very odd to see and thus I had to try it.Tony Burbshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17916383902665781661noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3748335246635491217.post-58591584110025087802015-09-11T13:11:53.452-05:002015-09-11T13:11:53.452-05:00"Now, was it even actually different and not ..."Now, was it even actually different and not just a marketing scheme?"<br /><br />It did taste different, but it was a marketing scheme. At the time Coca-Cola "decided" the revamp their formula, it was still outselling Pepsi. Granted, over the previous years, it's lead was eroding, but it was still over 50% market share. So why, with the majority of a market share, would you change you recipe to taste like the competition. That would be akin to McDonald's scraping the Big Mac and changing it to taste like a Whopper.<br /><br />What the big change did was generate a SHIT Ton of free publicity for New Coke, as well as free publicity when they magically brought old Coke back and labeled it "Coca-Cola Classic".<br /><br />It was a scam that most of the country bought into, and many still believe that it was a failed plan by Coke. In truth, it worked out perfectly. Coke introduced a rival in attempt to steal consumers from Pepsi, with a Pepsi clone (that sucked, btw), and they paid practically nothing to do it. Sure, there were TV and newspaper ads, but it cost $0 to get the front page headline on a paper, which is what is secured on too many of the big publications. <br /><br />So New Coke failed, only in the sense that people didn't want to drink it and not because people loved the old Coke. Then Coke suddenly had two flavors on the market.JediJeffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10261262040532716901noreply@blogger.com