Diet Coke, celebrating its 30th birthday, has become synonymous with the fashion industry. Launched in 1982, Diet Coke was the first new brand to be launched by Coca-Cola since 1886. It quickly became the top diet soft drink and was named the brand of the decade at the end of the ‘80s. In culture, Diet Coke became associated with power, glamor, and indulgence. This article explores the drink's intriguing journey, from its rise as a fashion world fixture to its recent social media resurgence, examining its complex relationship with diet culture and the ever-evolving beauty standards.
The Rise of Diet Coke in the Fashion World
In the 1990s, Diet Coke became the can clutched in every model and celebrity's manicured hand. The supermodel diet of Marlboro Lights and Diet Coke may not have topped the bestsellers chart alongside the Atkins, but it was there in photographs in every magazine. Diet Coke became the ultimate accessible fashion accessory, cheaper than an It-bag, more obvious than a perfume, and available in every corner shop.
Sociologist Ashley Mears, who infiltrated the fashion world and worked as a model while researching her doctorate, recalls those glistening silver cans well. "I remember seeing Diet Coke backstage at most of the shows," she says. "Getting products into models' hands was thought to be a great source of low-cost advertising. My sense is that Diet Coke embeds itself deliberately at fashion events for this specific reason."
Where once Diet Coke's "ambassador" was Bob Hope, now it's Jean Paul Gaultier, who last year replaced Karl Lagerfeld as the brand's creative director. eBay bristles with the limited-edition Diet Coke bottles designed by the likes of Matthew Williamson, Moschino, Etro, and Roberto Cavalli. According to Marketing Week, there's a three-year strategy to embed the product into the industry further. Zoe Howorth, the market-activation director for Coca-Cola GB, has said that the target is to get Diet Coke seen as a brand "for demanding fashionistas."
Hence the barrels of it on ice at London fashion week, being served by cute guys in muscle T-shirts. Coke may be classic, but fashion folk, they're fickle.
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Creative Collaborations and Iconic Moments
Diet Coke's association with fashion has been solidified through various creative collaborations and memorable pop culture moments:
Karl Lagerfeld's Bottle Design (2012): Karl Lagerfeld launched his Diet Coke bottle design with a troupe of male models dressed up like, um, Karl Lagerfeld. He declared: "I drink Diet Coke from the minute I get up to the minute I go to bed. I don't drink coffee, I don't drink tea; I drink nothing else."
Derek Zoolander's Diet Coke Advert (2001): Ben Stiller "Blue Steeled" his way through this fake ad in Zoolander, spraying the brown, syrupy drink all over himself like an overexcited seal. Derek Zoolander may be a byword for fit-but-dim male models - but we doubt it hurt the brand one bit.
Lady Gaga's 'Telephone' Music Video (2010): One of the smartest pieces of product placement ever. Diet Coke cans as hair rollers were the real stars of the "Telephone" music video - and they really do give a good curl.
In 1994, the Diet Coke Break ad, where the builder gets his kit off for the girls for elevenses, to that ballsy Etta James soundtrack, perfectly gave the finger to Kleenex and Nestlé with their stupid campaigns for man-sized tissues and chunky Yorkie Bars. That was Diet Coke's turning point - targeting the drink towards women, even though 40% of its drinkers were supposedly male.
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The Shifting Tides: From Glamour to "Rehab Drink"
Despite its long-standing presence, Diet Coke's image has faced challenges. As one designer friend says: "Diet Coke is not the fashion drink any more - it's the rehab drink."
Model Poppy Delevingne, who has worked for Burberry and Louis Vuitton, tells me that "Diet or no diet, I don't do Coca-Cola. Without sounding crass, it makes me burp like a trumpet - spoiling instantly the model-as- perfection persona. Pass me the coconut water any day…"
Social Media Resurgence and the Return of "Thinspiration"
In recent years, Diet Coke has experienced a social media resurgence, coinciding with the return of 2010s aesthetics and a renewed focus on thinness.
Ashliene McMenamy explores how the social media resurgence of Diet Coke is inherently tied to diet culture and "thinspiration." Diet Coke’s viral presence comes at the same time as the popularity of high fashion accounts, #WhatIEatinADay videos, and the resurgence of 2010s aesthetics like pale grunge and indie sleaze - all trends that are and were inherently tied to thinness. As we revive these trends in the new Ozempic era, social media indicates that thinspiration is on the rise, and Diet Coke seems to be intertwined.
But by 2016, the thirst for diet sodas was nearly “extinct” according to a Business Insider article pointing to a massive decline in sales numbers. Two years later, The New Yorker dubbed Diet Coke the “elixir of soft-bodied plutocrats” like former President Donald Trump and Elon Musk.
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When I quit modeling in 2022, the body positivity era was waning and the aesthetics of the ‘90s and 2000s had returned: low rise jeans, midriff baring tops, and of all trends, Diet Coke. Kate Moss, the model we most associate with thinness in the early aughts, even became the brand’s creative director in 2022.
Like cigarettes, in the hands of a Cool Girl model or content creator, Diet Coke is no longer an unhealthy drink associated with gross men. Instead, it’s the marker of a girl in the know, one who’s messy and hot and, of course, thin.
The return of Diet Coke as an accessory seems to be bringing us squarely back to when thinness was inherently tied to what we found fashionable and beautiful. Drinking Diet Coke won’t make you thin, and obviously not all Diet Coke drinkers are thin, but the rise in social media cache of this particular beverage is yet another reminder that we’re returning to an era when thinness was a hallmark of beauty, and Diet Coke was a staple in the community that defined what beauty is.
Diet Coke Merchandise: Embracing the Brand
The enduring appeal of Diet Coke is also reflected in its merchandise, which includes a variety of apparel and accessories:
- Coca-Cola Ornament Women's Crew Fleece
- Diet Coke Social Club Women's Crew
- Diet Coke Fix Women's Crew Fleece
- Coca-Cola 86 Women's Jersey
- Coca-Cola Classic Women's Jersey
- Diet Coke Bow Cropped Tee
- Coca-Cola Kelly Green Script Tee
- The Coca-Cola Kelly Green Iconic Script Unisex T-Shirt blends 60% cotton and 40% polyester for softness, durability, and all-day comfort. With a classic fit and vibrant color, this versatile tee is perfect for casual wear, layering, or everyday style.
- Diet Coke Social Club Unisex Tee Printed on a gray unisex t-shirt, the Diet Coke Social Club T-Shirt features a black design with the iconic Diet Coke can, perfect for showing off your great taste.
- Diet Coke Girlie Crop Tank Show your love for an iconic favorite with the Diet Coke Girlie Cropped Tank. This pink cropped tank top features a red graphic design and comfortable fit, perfect for everyday wear.
- Diet Coke Ghost Unisex Hoodie Perfect for fall, the Diet Coke Ghost Unisex Hoodie features a stylized ghost graphic with the iconic Diet Coke logo, printed on a black hoodie with a comfortable unisex fit.
- Diet Coke Ghost Women's Tee Perfect for fall, the Diet Coke Ghost Women's Tee features a stylized ghost graphic with the iconic Diet Coke logo, printed on a black, short-sleeved t-shirt with a relaxed women's fit.
- Diet Coke Chrome Sweatshirt The versatile Diet Coke Chrome Sweatshirt features a striking chrome foil Diet Coke logo printed on a comfortable unisex crewneck, combining a bold design with everyday comfort.
- Diet Coke Ghost Unisex Tee Perfect for fall, the Diet Coke Ghost Unisex Tee features a stylized ghost graphic with the iconic Diet Coke logo, printed on a black short-sleeved t-shirt with a relaxed unisex fit.
- Diet Coke Love High Waisted Tee The Diet Coke Love Cropped Tee features a bold “LOVE” design with the iconic Diet Coke logo, perfect for layering or comfortable everyday wear.
- Diet Coke Girlie Sweatshirt Show your love for an iconic favorite with the Diet Coke Girlie Sweatshirt.
Kate Moss and the Diet Coke Break
It’s 11:30 AM and you’re working in the office. You’re still coming off your first coffee of the day and lunch isn’t for another couple of hours. You may not be aware that the Diet Coke break is treasured throughout every corner of culture. Most recently, the movement has gone high fashion as the soft drink calls on Creative Director Kate Moss to put her twist on the Diet Coke Break. The latest pursuit includes a drop of limited-edition designs where the duo has appointed artist Marc-Antoine Coulton to commission watercolor illustrations of the supermodel that wrap around each can.
“It was instinctive to conceptualise what the Break looks like in the world of fashion as Diet Coke has always been an industry favourite,” says Moss. “I wanted to give a glimpse behind the scenes with a Diet Coke wink. We’ve taken the spirit of what the 11:30 Break stands for while staying true to myself and what I love - using fashion to add a flash of glamour.”