# Coca-Cola is bringing back New Coke in honor of 'Stranger Things' **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** soda-softdrinks\ **Created:** [July 9, 2019, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coca-cola-is-bringing-back-new-coke-in-honor-of-stranger-things/836746 "2019-07-09T00:54:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2019, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coca-cola-is-bringing-back-new-coke-in-honor-of-stranger-things/836746/1 "2019-07-09T00:54:59Z")
The thread about the Seattle mystery vending machine sent me down a rabbit hole in which I learned for a limited time Coca-Cola has re-released the infamous New Coke formula as a promotional tie in with the new season of Stranger Things. If you are curious as to what New Coke tasted like, now is your chance to find out. I was five years old in 1985, so I may well have had New Coke and just don’t remember, but I was curious, so I ordered some. Funnily I don’t recall the introduction of New Coke, but I do remember the reintroduction of Coke Classic, which led me to believe Coke Classic was a new product at the time. CNN story about the promotion: > **[Coca-Cola is bringing back New Coke in honor of 'Stranger Things' | CNN Business](https://www.cnn.com/2019/05/21/business/new-coke-stranger-things/index.html)** > > Coca-Cola is hoping a failed product from the 1980s will help it go viral in 2019. Link to a 1980s themed Coke website where you can order some: > **[Custom Coke Bottles & Coca-Cola Collectibles | Coca-Cola Store](https://us.coca-cola.com/store/)** > > Shop online for Coca-Cola merchandise and apparel at Coke Store! Browse customized bottles, accessories, home décor, collectibles, gifts, and more! I was a bit disappointed that the only way to get is is to order the Stranger Things Collector Pack for $19.95, but I figured it’s worth it one time just for the novelty of it. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2019, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coca-cola-is-bringing-back-new-coke-in-honor-of-stranger-things/836746/2 "2019-07-09T01:03:07Z")
It taste likes Pepsi. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2019, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coca-cola-is-bringing-back-new-coke-in-honor-of-stranger-things/836746/3 "2019-07-09T02:34:15Z")
I’d love to try it. I was alive when it came out, but have no memory of trying it. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2019, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coca-cola-is-bringing-back-new-coke-in-honor-of-stranger-things/836746/4 "2019-07-09T03:04:33Z")
I liked it at the time and was annoyed that when they brought back (the newly re-christened) Classic Coke they didn’t keep the fucking New Coke. They would have had all the Pepsi and all the original Coke fans. No idea why they didn’t do that and corner the market for good. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2019, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coca-cola-is-bringing-back-new-coke-in-honor-of-stranger-things/836746/5 "2019-07-09T04:06:57Z")
I loved New Coke (aka Coke II)!!! Not as much as I love RC but it still was more my thing than the original (which to me always tasted a lot like Pepsi). And with that I will duck all the Coke fans and go someplace safer; like the Pit. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![aurora\_maire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aurora_maire/32/328_2.png) [@aurora\_maire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aurora_maire)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2019, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coca-cola-is-bringing-back-new-coke-in-honor-of-stranger-things/836746/6 "2019-07-09T15:42:51Z")
The drink of choice for me and my boyfriend was Jack and Coke. When the new Coke came out, we tried it and it was horrible. He went out and bought many cases of the old Coke before it disappeared (we took our drinking seriously back then). Fortunately, it lasted until they brought back the classic. It may have been fine on its own but mixing it, bleeh. I guess that’s why you don’t hear about folks drinking Jack and Pepsi. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2019, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coca-cola-is-bringing-back-new-coke-in-honor-of-stranger-things/836746/7 "2019-07-09T15:56:15Z")
It seems a silly reason, but hey, more choices! Nothing wrong with that. They should bring back TaB. With cyclamates. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2019, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coca-cola-is-bringing-back-new-coke-in-honor-of-stranger-things/836746/8 "2019-07-09T16:39:04Z")
They can’t bring it back because they never stopped making it. TaB is still produced today; [cite](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tab_(drink)). ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2019, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coca-cola-is-bringing-back-new-coke-in-honor-of-stranger-things/836746/9 "2019-07-09T16:49:02Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > They can’t bring it back because they never stopped making it. TaB is still produced today; [cite](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tab_(drink)). Not with cyclamates. Either way, they need to market it. Put out TaB machines. Celebrity spokespeople. Super Bowl commercials. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2019, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coca-cola-is-bringing-back-new-coke-in-honor-of-stranger-things/836746/10 "2019-07-09T16:53:46Z")
Ah I see, you want the original formula back; gotcha. I think I only ever had TaB with sodium saccharine, not with cyclamates. ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2019, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coca-cola-is-bringing-back-new-coke-in-honor-of-stranger-things/836746/11 "2019-07-09T17:54:29Z")
> [@WildaBeast](#): > > I was a bit disappointed that the only way to get is is to order the Stranger Things Collector Pack for $19.95 Slight correction: The price is actually $19.85. See what they did there? ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2019, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coca-cola-is-bringing-back-new-coke-in-honor-of-stranger-things/836746/12 "2019-07-09T17:57:55Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > I liked it at the time and was annoyed that when they brought back (the newly re-christened) Classic Coke they didn’t keep the fucking New Coke. They would have had all the Pepsi and all the original Coke fans. No idea why they didn’t do that and corner the market for good. Wait, what? They kept New Coke (aka “Coke II”) for 6, 7 years after the switch. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2019, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coca-cola-is-bringing-back-new-coke-in-honor-of-stranger-things/836746/13 "2019-07-09T18:09:25Z")
I never saw it after Classic was back on the market, that I can recall. If I had, I’d have bought it. The wikipedia entry says it was about 3% of their sales by the end of 1985, the same year it was introduced. ETA: This bit from the Wiki entry amused me: > [@](#): > > The fiasco led Bill Cosby to end his long time advertising for Coca-Cola. Cosby claimed that his commercials praising the superiority of the new formula had hurt his credibility. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2019, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coca-cola-is-bringing-back-new-coke-in-honor-of-stranger-things/836746/14 "2019-07-09T18:11:48Z")
The Wiki entry which also says? > [@](#): > > Coke II was discontinued in July 2002. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2019, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coca-cola-is-bringing-back-new-coke-in-honor-of-stranger-things/836746/15 "2019-07-09T18:15:38Z")
Did I say you were wrong? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2019, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coca-cola-is-bringing-back-new-coke-in-honor-of-stranger-things/836746/16 "2019-07-09T18:34:09Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > I never saw it after Classic was back on the market, that I can recall. If I had, I’d have bought it. From what Wikipedia says, it sounds like while Coke II was technically still available they didn’t market it at all and it wasn’t available in many places, which totally explains why you couldn’t find it. ---
**Author:** ![Folly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folly/32/3219_2.png) [@Folly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folly)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2019, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coca-cola-is-bringing-back-new-coke-in-honor-of-stranger-things/836746/17 "2019-07-09T18:36:45Z")
Wouldn’t it be ironic if it became a big hit… ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2019, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coca-cola-is-bringing-back-new-coke-in-honor-of-stranger-things/836746/18 "2019-07-09T19:17:00Z")
> [@Folly](#): > > Wouldn’t it be ironic if it became a big hit… It’ll be like vinyl records. “Let’s embrace this inferior product because it is old and different but convince ourselves despite all evidence to the contrary that it is actually better.” Yes, I know, which flavor of pop one likes is just a personal opinion. Still, it won’t stay that way. Battle lines will be drawn. Classic Coke fans will be derided by the Old New Coke hipsters. Families will be torn apart. Brother will be pitted against brother. ---
**Author:** ![Helmut\_Doork](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e8c25b/32.png) [@Helmut\_Doork](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helmut_Doork)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2019, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coca-cola-is-bringing-back-new-coke-in-honor-of-stranger-things/836746/19 "2019-07-09T19:58:08Z")
Most people preferred the taste of New Coke, it was the southerners who caused the backlash that got the old formula reinstated- they didn’t want some Yankee messing with their precious soda, even if was for the better it seems? ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2019, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coca-cola-is-bringing-back-new-coke-in-honor-of-stranger-things/836746/20 "2019-07-09T20:04:22Z")
Yeah, as I understand it Coke had done extensive taste tests that showed most people preferred the taste of New Coke over both original Coke and Pepsi (although there are some claims that the methodology of just giving testers a small sip is flawed). It was, for lack of a better word, nostalgia for the old Coke formula that led to the backlash against New Coke. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coca-cola-is-bringing-back-new-coke-in-honor-of-stranger-things/836746.md?page=2)