When Diet Coke first came out in 1983, its makers had one goal: Make it clear this is a diet soda. After all, the drink was created, at least in part, in response to a failed attempt at a subtle, low-calorie soda. Twenty years earlier, Coca-Cola Company had debuted its first-ever diet soda, Tab (as in, keep a tab on your waistline.) But from the start, the new soda’s taste was somewhat off, its connection to dieting was far too subtle, and consumers didn’t associate “Tab” with Coca-Cola, among other things. So when Diet Coke was introduced, the soda conglomerate pulled out all the stops, with in-your-face commercials, a new tagline — “Just for the taste of it” — and, of course, a new name: Diet Coke. Definitely Coke, definitely diet, and definitely not subtle. Sales for the beverage soared and Diet Coke soon solidified itself as the “It” drink if you wanted to lose weight and look cool doing it. Over the next few decades, Diet Coke has experienced its ups and downs in terms of sales and popularity, but today, the beverage is clearly experiencing another renaissance: It’s everywhere on our TikTok streams, posed sweatily in front of models in glossy ads, and once again the “It” drink at the club. Yes, Diet Coke is back — and selling like its 1999. |
