The Return of ‘Original Coke’

I never thought my first letter to The Times would be prompted by such an effervescent issue, but I feel impelled to comment on the front-page article by David Treadwell (July 12) concerning Coca-Cola’s recent “marketing reversal”--”Protests, Weak Sales Cited in Return of Original Coke.”

When Coca-Cola first announced its plans to replace their 99-year-old “classic” with a new formula, I questioned the motivation. Had the Pepsi Challenge finally beaten the product that turned the trademark “Coke” into the generic for all cola drinks? Was Pepsi now “IT”? I didn’t think so. My informal surveys of friends and relatives revealed unanimous support for Coke, which was based as much on a preference for Coke’s fizzier, less syrupy taste as it was on emotional appeal. So why would Coca-Cola fix what wasn’t broken?

Your article finally made it clear. You quote Coca-Cola President Donald R. Keough as stating, “Some critics say Coca-Cola made a marketing mistake (in pulling the original Coke); some cynics will say that we planned the whole thing . . . The truth is we are not that dumb and we are not that smart.” Give me break! A multimillion-dollar entity like Coca-Cola is obviously composed of some of the brightest minds in America. And it doesn’t take a cynic to appreciate success. Of course Coca-Cola planned the whole thing!

To quote your article, “. . . complaints never stopped pouring into the company headquarters . . .” when Coca-Cola first announced its decision to change the “time-honored Coke taste.” A reaction like that is great publicity! The article goes on to say, “Since the rollout of the reformulated cola in April . . . more than 150 million persons . . . have tried the new drink.” A reaction like that means lots of money. And now that sales of the new formula have dropped (as Coca-Cola probably expected), the company pulls a well-rehearsed “marketing reversal” and gives us back our beloved old Coke--complete with the new, nostalgic tag line of “Classic.” It doesn’t really surprise me that 15,000 callers phoned the company to praise the decision to bring the old Coke back. I’m sure Coca-Cola wasn’t surprised, either.

“Coke Is It,” and always has been. But after years and years, the thrill was gone and we turned to Pepsi. Coke met our disloyalty with a very clever, classy maneuver. Coke walked out on us. In her place, we found ourselves with an imitation-Coke that tasted a lot like Pepsi. We tried the new Coke, sure, but it just wasn’t the same. Neither was Pepsi. And now, as we come to the realization that Coke was “IT” all along, Coke reappears, displaying an incredibly perfect sense of timing.

Cheers to you, Coca-Cola! You’ve taught us a lesson in loyalty. You met the Pepsi Challenge by competing against yourself and winning. And you’ve managed to convince a lot of people that you didn’t have this all planned from the start.

Best of all, we now have our choice of both the Classic Coke and the New Coke. Thank you, Coca-Cola, for making it possible for us have our Coke and drink it, too!

LAURA RADER

Oceanside