Why has 7 Up declined so much?

[Acsenray]

What’s a CNA?

[Johnny_L.A]

Certified Nursing Assistant. From what I understand, it can be gruelling work in some situations.

[kushiel]

@Sal_Ammoniac

You guys need to head up to Quebec, which is like the last redoubt of 7-Up. It’s a hundred times more common up there than Sprite, it seems to me. That said, I can buy 7-Up in the grocery store here, and do, often.

It’s not just Quebec, it’s all of Canada. 7-Up is owned by Pepsi here, so it’s the lemon-lime soda in all Pepsi fountains. We don’t have Sierra Mist. We also don’t have Pibb, just Dr. Pepper.

[NDP]

[quote=“Sam_A.Robrin, post:41, topic:646028”]

I was thinking it must be the advertising. I recall how well-loved this guy was, and how everyone was sliding out “Thee unnnnnnnnn-coe-la–Seb’mUp!”
These flickering lightbulbs had been available for years, but became known as “7Up bulbs” after this commercial:

[/QUOTE]

One thing 7 Up had over its soft drink competitors during the late 60s and early 70s was the creativity of their commercials. For example, here’s their 1971 homage to the classic “Let’s All Go to the Lobby” movie intermission short, a 1974 ad that incorporates over 40 years of 7 Up logos with then state-of-the-art visual effects, and a Peter Max-esque commercial promoting a 1968 “Win Your Un-Thing” contest that included a choice of one of seven grand prizes (then and now, I’d take the Mustang).

[TBG]

@Elmer_J.Fudd

I’ve always wondered why fountains with the Coke line often include Dr. Pepper instead of the Coke- owned Pibb.

Around here, the occasional oddball Coke fountain is the only place you’ll ever encounter Pibb (or Pibb Xtra as it’s formally called). In stores you’ll never find bottles/cans of Pibb because Coke distributes Dr Pepper in the area.

[asterion]

My question is, who is buying all this Tab I still see on the shelf?

[Elmer_J.Fudd]

For some reason the only place you regularly find Pibb on the west coast is in movie theaters.

[Elmer_J.Fudd]

@asterion

My question is, who is buying all this Tab I still see on the shelf?

I think it’s still a required prop for '70s/Disco themed parties…and for eating the crud off of battery terminals.

[Werekoala]

I love 7-UP but its one of those things I never think about until maybe once a year when I get nauseated/upset stomach. When I was a kid, that was the go-to “sipping drink” to help settle an upset stomach. It is, of course, awesome at other times as well, but it just never seems to pop up as a soda option.

[salinqmind]

Tab was THE drink, for female office workers in particular, back in the day. I think they brought it back for the ‘retro’ element. It certainly can’t be for the taste! Nasty bitter mix of chemicals, yet sometimes you kind of crave it.

[Hail_Ants]

@Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew

And the Uncola Man was ultra cool.

Yes, the great Geoffrey Holder, cool guy and (of course) one-time Bond villain henchman! Best thing in the movie Trading Places (besides Jamie Lee Curtis’ titties!) was Eddie Murphy’s impression of him!

In regards to that article, I had no idea Mountain Dew was invented in 1948!! I could have sworn it was introduced in the late 70s/early 80s…

[shijinn]

@yabob

Interesting. The company themselves says that “Little Squirt” was created in 1941 by Herb Bishop and his business partner. Of course, they probably commissioned some commercial artist to draw the character. BTW, I was wrong about their ownership by DPSU. They were owned by A&W at one point, but A&W was bought directly by Cadbury-Schweppes.

what i want to know is how one can screw up managing the ideal drink for ice-cream floats and supposed “root beer standard amongst root beer reviewers”.

[SCAdian]

@Hail_Ants

I had no idea Mountain Dew was invented in 1948!! I could have sworn it was introduced in the late 70s/early 80s…

Late '60s in Michigan…

[SCAdian]

@SCAdian

Haven’t seen Squirt in years, alas. 8(

My favourite soda is Gosling’s ginger beer…

@yabob

Really? No trouble finding it around here. The major supermarkets all carry it. Of course, they haven’t had “Little Squirt” on the container in decades. Actually, I often buy Safeway house brand grapefruit soda. It’s pretty much the same thing, and cheaper (One thing about Safeway - their house brands are often fairly decent).

Where’s “around here”? I’m in New England. (We don’t have Safeway, either.)

@Ike_Witt

Remember Quirst?

Pseudo-Squirt from the late '70s…

Here in CT there’s no problem finding 7-Up, Fresca, A&W or RC, though of course they get nowhere near as much shelf space as Coke or Pepsi, and slightly less than house brands.

[Sam_A.Robrin]

@Hail_Ants

In regards to that article, I had no idea Mountain Dew was invented in 1948!! I could have sworn it was introduced in the late 70s/early 80s…

In the Philadelphia area, 1964, with a very heavy saturation campaign to promote it. Then it underwent a name change to “White Lightning,” and eventually switched back for reasons that can probably be googled.

[Shagnasty]

@SCAdian

Where’s “around here”? I’m in New England. (We don’t have Safeway, either.)

Here in CT there’s no problem finding 7-Up, Fresca, A&W or RC, though of course they get nowhere near as much shelf space as Coke or Pepsi, and slightly less than house brands.

I never had much problem finding any soft drink I wanted in the Boston area. Most people drink the normal stuff but a couple of stores I shop in still carry Moxie so someone is buying it. That someone was me - just once. I have never so filled been with rage after taking a swig of something but apparently the taste can grow on you if you were born in the 1800’s when it was the medicinal tonic to be seen with.

I never tried finding Squirt around here. I could have sworn it existed in New England but I have never looked for it. The only soft drinks that I used to drink growing up in the South that I have never seen here is Big Red. There is nothing else like it. It is heavily colored and sort of bubble-gum flavored but pretty good in my opinion. I don’t think I could get my hands on it quickly around here if I had to.

[Sam_A.Robrin]

@Shagnasty

a couple of stores I shop in still carry Moxie . . . apparently the taste can grow on you.

Yes, it can. That’s me in the last two frames:

http://anarchyinyourhead.com/comics/2010-04-09-porcfest_2010.png

[gracer]

@gaffa

I thought this was going to be about the most recent edition of the Up series of documentaries.

That’s what I clicked for too I was prepared to say that, though some of the subjects seem a little more boring now, I still loved watching the latest installment. Nick, IMO, has not lived up to his potential. I had a crush on him from the beginning. Now he’s just cocky and smarmy! And they are all getting divorced. Yeah…never mind, I’ll shut up now…

But yeah, 7-Up huh, doesn’t seem to be around as much.

[btreat]

@NDP

One thing 7 Up had over its soft drink competitors during the late 60s and early 70s was the creativity of their commercials. For example, here’s their 1971 homage to the classic “Let’s All Go to the Lobby” movie intermission short, a 1974 ad that incorporates over 40 years of 7 Up logos with then state-of-the-art visual effects, and a Peter Max-esque commercial promoting a 1968 “Win Your Un-Thing” contest that included a choice of one of seven grand prizes (then and now, I’d take the Mustang).

One thing 7Up did right was to commission a fantastic ad campaign in the late 60’s / early 70’s that turned their flagging sales around, at least for a while. I now research and collect that artwork and there are a lot of great examples from that time period. Many are posted in my “sets” on Flickr dot com and 9 more 21’x10’ billboards acquired last week still have yet to be photographed and collaged together.

[Album] 7Up The UnCola vintage billboards, posters, images

[gotpasswords]

Why has 7up declined so much?

They never recovered from the old blooper where the announcer said

“So try 7up. You’ll recognize it with the big seven and you pee after it.”