And they would have gotten away with it too: By the end of 1985, Coca-Cola Classic was substantially out-selling both New Coke and Pepsi. If it wasn’t a conspiracy, it should have been. With its own official nickname, Coke is a cool logo to be seen hanging out with. The 1985 launch of "Noo Coke" is a marketing 101 exercise in what not to do with a beloved brand. The debacle gave the world the most utterly convincing corporate denial of a conspiracy allegation: Donald Keough, the company president, answered speculation by saying "We’re not that dumb, and we’re not that smart".

Source: The Star December 29, 2022 14:47 UTC