logic@dartvax.UUCP (Logic Associates) (07/19/85)
You are a true hardcore cynic if you can read the series of articles in
the July 15 Advertising Age and still believe that Coca-Cola planned
this. One likely consequence is that Pepsi will become the number one brand,
although Coca-Cola will be number one corporately. Royal Crown thinks they
can exploit this, and Dr. Pepper is selling at an all-time high.
When industry types were asked for assessments, some predicted that
the two brands of Coke could co-exist just as easily as Tab and Diet Coke
do already. In the fountains, Coke's stronghold, that is not an easy
coexistence, but stores are more flexible. The rest of the proverbial
industry pundits predicted that New Coke will die out soon (in the USA)
when the head-to-head competition is established. NONE of the industry
people predicted that Old Coke would lose appeal to the point of being
withdrawn.
This week's Newsweek reports that Diet Cherry Coke is on the way,
so the brand-extension policy is continuing at Coca-Cola.
Just make it MOXIE for mine,
David Marston
P.S. Does anyone in netland read Beverage Digest? What do they say?