Diet Coke, since its introduction in 1982, has become a cultural staple in America, evolving significantly in its branding and consumer appeal. Initially targeting health-conscious consumers, particularly women, the brand's advertising campaigns have mirrored societal shifts and evolving marketing strategies. This article explores the historical trajectory of Diet Coke print advertising, highlighting its most famous ads, slogans, and the cultural contexts that shaped them.
The Early Years: Targeting Taste and Fitness (1980s)
In its early years, Diet Coke carved a niche for itself by focusing on taste and calorie consciousness. Several key slogans and campaigns defined this era:
"Just for the Taste of It" (1982): This was Diet Coke’s first slogan, launched in 1982. The Coca-Cola Company's marketing team recruited stars like Candice Bergen to promote the new diet drink. The campaign was highly successful and helped Diet Coke become one of the most successful diet sodas in history.
"Just for the Cool of It": Following the success of its initial campaign, Diet Coke sought a new, catchy slogan to align with its bold and refreshing flavor. The marketing team introduced "Just for the Cool of It!" This slogan aimed to resonate with the young, hip crowd of the 1980s.
"Less Than 1 Calorie!" (1984): Capitalizing on America's growing fitness obsession in 1984, marked by aerobics and Jane Fonda workout videos, Coca-Cola positioned Diet Coke as a guilt-free refreshment with its “Less Than 1 Calorie!” tagline. This calorie-focused messaging helped Diet Coke dominate the diet soda market and become linked to fitness culture.
Read also: The Hoxsey Diet
These early campaigns successfully tapped into the health and taste preferences of consumers, establishing Diet Coke as a leading diet soda brand.
The 1990s: Targeting a Younger Generation
The 1990s saw Diet Coke shifting its focus towards a younger demographic, specifically Gen-Xers, with campaigns that captured the optimistic spirit of the era.
- "The Time Is Right for Diet Coke": This slogan was introduced in the 1990s through upbeat commercials featuring rollerbladers. These ads helped transform Diet Coke into a billion-dollar lifestyle brand and solidified its position as the beverage of choice for Gen-Xers.
During this period, the "Diet Coke Break" series of advertisements also gained prominence. These commercials, which began in 1994, depicted groups of women humorously ogling attractive men, such as construction workers, while they took their "Diet Coke break," soundtracked to a version of "I Just Want to Make Love to You". The first commercial starred American actor Lucky Vanous as a construction worker who removes his shirt while taking his "Diet Coke break". The success of this campaign led to further adverts, including ones featuring a window cleaner and a delivery man as objects of female attention.
Early 2000s: Expanding Appeal and Introducing Coke Zero
Recognizing the potential to broaden Diet Coke’s appeal, Coca-Cola attempted to create a unisex image for the brand in the early 2000s, moving away from exclusively feminine marketing strategies.
To specifically target male consumers, Coca-Cola introduced Coke Zero in 2005. This product offered a similar taste to regular Coke but with zero calories, and its marketing campaigns were distinctly masculine.
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2010s: Millennial Focus and Fashion Collaborations
In the 2010s, Diet Coke shifted its marketing strategies to resonate with millennials, emphasizing self-expression and fashion collaborations:
"Stay Extraordinary" (2010): Diet Coke launched the “Stay Extraordinary” campaign, with Taylor Swift as brand ambassador. The campaign was known for commercials celebrating self-expression.
Marc Jacobs' Photo Break (2013): In 2013, fashion designer Marc Jacobs partnered with Diet Coke for a playful collaboration that featured him designing limited-edition bottles. This collaboration underscored Diet Coke's positioning as a lifestyle brand intertwined with fashion and pop culture.
"Love What You Love" (2017): Diet Coke reinvented itself with the slogan “Love What You Love,” moving away from traditional diet culture messaging. The campaign resonated with younger consumers and further transformed Diet Coke into a lifestyle brand.
2020s: Modern Identity and Inclusivity
The 2020s have seen Diet Coke campaigns that celebrate individuality and embrace modern trends, reinforcing its status as a contemporary and relevant brand:
Read also: Weight Loss with Low-FODMAP
"A 12 Oz Fashion Statement!" (2021): Diet Coke came up with the “A 12 Oz Fashion Statement!” campaign, positioning their iconic silver can as a fashion accessory. The campaign resonated with style-conscious consumers and infiltrated Hollywood’s elite, using influencers and celebrities in its commercials to get the message across.
"Just Because" (2022): Diet Coke’s latest campaign, the “Just Because!” campaign, features playful commercials showing people enjoying the beverage with cute cats and rainbows. This campaign emphasizes spontaneous enjoyment and aligns with current trends in advertising that focus on lightheartedness and inclusivity.
The Enduring Legacy of Coca-Cola Advertising
The broader advertising history of Coca-Cola, including Diet Coke, reveals a consistent focus on reflecting the times and connecting with consumers on an emotional level. Throughout the years, the slogans used in advertising for Coca‑Cola have reflected not only the brand, but the times. Other slogans have concerned our sales figures, such as "Three Million a Day" from 1917 or "Six Million a Day" from 1925. In 1985, the introduction of a new taste of Coca‑Cola (commonly called new Coke® ) and the reintroduction of Coca‑Cola classic and the original formula led to multiple slogans. Some advertisements themselves rise to the level of memorable slogans.
Key Coca-Cola Slogans Over the Years:
- 1886 - Drink Coca‑Cola
- 1904 - Delicious and Refreshing
- 1905 - Coca‑Cola Revives and Sustains
- 1906 - The Great National Temperance Beverage
- 1917 - Three Million a Day
- 1922 - Thirst Knows No Season
- 1923 - Enjoy Thirst
- 1924 - Refresh Yourself
- 1925 - Six Million a Day
- 1926 - It Had to Be Good to Get Where It Is
- 1927 - Pure as Sunlight
- 1927 - Around the Corner from Everywhere
- 1929 - The Pause that Refreshes
- 1932 - Ice Cold Sunshine
- 1938 - The Best Friend Thirst Ever Had
- 1939 - Thirst Asks Nothing More
- 1939 - Whoever You Are, Whatever You Do, Wherever You May Be, When You Think of Refreshment Think of Ice Cold Coca‑Cola
- 1942 - The Only Thing Like Coca‑Cola is Coca‑Cola Itself
- 1948 - Where There's Coke There's Hospitality
- 1949 - Along the Highway to Anywhere
- 1952 - What You Want is a Coke
- 1956 - Coca‑Cola… Makes Good Things Taste Better
- 1957 - Sign of Good Taste
- 1958 - The Cold, Crisp Taste of Coke
- 1959 - Be Really Refreshed
- 1963 - Things Go Better with Coke
- 1969 - It's the Real Thing
- 1971 - I'd Like to Buy the World a Coke (part of the "It's the Real Thing" campaign)
- 1975 - Look Up America
- 1976 - Coke Adds Life
- 1979 - Have a Coke and a Smile
- 1982 - Coke Is It!
- 1985 - We've Got a Taste for You (for both Coca‑Cola & Coca‑Cola classic)
- 1985 - America's Real Choice (for both Coca‑Cola & Coca‑Cola classic)
- 1986 - Red, White & You (for Coca‑Cola classic)
- 1986 - Catch the Wave (for Coca‑Cola)
- 1987 - When Coca‑Cola is a Part of Your Life, You Can't Beat the Feeling
- 1988 - You Can't Beat the Feeling
- 1989 - Official Soft Drink of Summer
- 1990 - You Can't Beat the Real Thing
- 1993 - Always Coca‑Cola
- 2000 - Coca‑Cola. Enjoy
- 2001 - Life Tastes Good
- 2003 - Coca‑Cola … Real
Diet Coke Break Parodies and Cultural Influence
The "Diet Coke Break" campaign itself became a cultural touchstone, often parodied and referenced in other media. For instance, in 1999, 11.30 Appointment was parodied in an advert for the British beer John Smith's. As in 11.30 Appointment, the advert shows a topless version of John Smith's mascot (the cardboard cut-out "No Nonsense Man"[31]) being lifted in a suspended platform past the window of an office boardroom in a skyscraper. In 2019, the car manufacturer Vauxhall Motors also parodied Diet Coke Break to promote their new Astra Light model. The advert begins similarly to Diet Coke Break, with women working in an office excitedly telling each other that it is "Break time" and then gathering at a window. However, rather than gazing at a handsome man, the women are instead watching an Astra Light being driven around a parking lot.
The campaign was also referenced in "The Red Door", the fourth episode of the British sitcom The IT Crowd. In the episode, the character Jen distracts a pair of female workers in an office by telling them there is a builder outside taking off his shirt, "like in ads".
Controversies and Evolution
Despite its success, the "Diet Coke Break" campaign also faced criticism over its portrayal of gender roles. Some critics argued that the adverts were sexist towards men. When Dispenser was broadcast in Canada, the national government felt that it was demeaning to men and pulled it off the air. By 2015 it was perceived that the Diet Coke Break campaign did not "represent the values of modern confident women", and the adverts were retired. In their place, a new campaign was launched encouraging women to "regret nothing".
The Origin of Coca-Cola
The story of Coca-Cola begins with Dr. John Pemberton, an Atlanta pharmacist and Confederate Colonel wounded in the American Civil War, was addicted to morphine to fight severe back pain. Thanks also to his medical degree, he began to search for a substitute for the problematic drug. After several attempts, Dr. Pemberton blended an extract of cocaine-rich coca leaves and caffeine-rich cola nuts. These ingredients formed the basis of the original Coca-Cola recipe.
Initially conceived as a patent medicine, the drink was also marketed as a temperance drink. This dual purpose reflected the prevailing health concerns and social attitudes of the time. On May 8, 1886, he sold the first glass of the drink, later named Coca-Cola, in his pharmacy in Atlanta. During that year, an average of nine drinks a day were sold, marking the humble beginnings of a global phenomenon.
Dr. Pemberton, though a brilliant mind, faced challenges in the business. His partnership with Asa Griggs Chandler, a visionary businessman, was a turning point. Mr. Candler, from 1886 to 1888, bought the Coca‑Cola formula and patents from John Pemberton and his partners. In a few decades, Candler’s innovative marketing tactics led Coca-Cola to dominate the global soft drink market.
The first crucial move was the creation of a distinctive logo featuring the two Cs in a Spencerian script. This logo would become a cornerstone of Coca-Cola’s branding strategy. On May 14, 1892, The Coca-Cola Company registered, with patent N. 22,406, name, logo, and trademark as a “Nutrient or Tonic Beverage.” By the late 1890s, Coca-Cola had become a household name and America’s most popular fountain drink. The scale of its success was staggering, with Coca-Cola sales skyrocketing from one million a year in 1890 to an astonishing one hundred million in 1900.
Early Coca-Cola Advertisements and Branding
The first ads for Coca‑Cola appeared in national magazines in 1904, but the oldest we found was from 1905. Given the brand’s meteoric and impactful success, it’s a stretch to say that the company’s first advertisements, Hilda Clarks one’s aside, were poor and lacked even a minimum corporate image. Of course, we are discussing something published at the turn of the century.
Examples of Early Coca-Cola Ads:
- Coca-Cola Revives and Sustains (Good Housekeeping Magazine, May 1905)
- Coca-Cola Delicious Refreshing 5¢ (Harper’s Bazaar, May 1905)
- The Ideal Beverage for Discriminating People (Good Housekeeping Magazine, May 1906)
- The Satisfying Beverage (Good Housekeeping Magazine, July 1907)
- Coca-Cola The “Star” Performance (Good Housekeeping Magazine, September 1907)
In July 1910, a brilliant designer created the Coca-Cola Red Circle with the color code primary red. In the ads, the logo was red on white or white on red inside the circle. The company executives did not understand the value of this intuition, and the Red Circle was used only a couple of times in the following decades. Only in 1935 was it revived and became one of the cornerstones of the Coca-Cola Branding Strategy.
Fighting Imitations and the Coca-Cola Controversy
As Coca-Cola’s popularity grew, so did attempts to imitate it. Starting in 1908, the first response to this imitation was the introduction of “Follow the Arrow,” which featured arrow-shaped signs to promote Soda Fountains selling the original. The Arrow was also widely used in advertisements during this time. From 1910, the company, to protect the brand from imitations, began publishing an impressive number of text ads, often double-page spreads, warning against imitations. Sometimes, these ads directly address the reader.
Harvey Washington Wiley and the “Coca-Cola Controversy”
Harvey Washington Wiley was an American physician and chemist known for his successful advocacy for the passage of the landmark Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906. Following this achievement, he worked at the Good Housekeeping Institute laboratories. He was the first commissioner of the United States Food and Drug Administration. Wiley’s advocacy for stricter food and drug regulations indirectly contributed to Coca-Cola’s decision to remove cocaine from its formula in the early 20th century.
In September 1912, Good Housekeeping Magazine published a daring ten-page essay titled “The Coca-Cola Controversy.” This piece, which featured both text and cartoons, openly criticized the popular beverage, warning about the dangers associated with “artificial” caffeine.
The Pivotal Coca-Cola Trial - United States v. Coca-Cola, 1912
In a famous action brought against The Coca-Cola Company in 1911, Mr. Wiley contended that it was illegal to use the name Coca-Cola when there was no actual cocaine in the drink and also that it was unlawful for it to contain caffeine as an additive. With the threat of having to remove caffeine, Coca-Cola was teetering on the edge of a defeat that could have been catastrophic. The Company faced a challenge in finding a renowned psychologist to validate the non-dangerousness of caffeine. In a stroke of luck, Coca-Cola enlisted the services of a brilliant doctoral student, Harry Hollingworth, who needed research funds. With the trial looming, the need for results was pressing. In a race against time, Hollingworth devised a series of three studies that were completed in just 40 days.
Diet Coke's Shifting Demographics
At its inception, Diet Coke was marketed primarily to women. The brand’s advertising campaigns in the 1980s and 1990s featured glamorous female celebrities and targeted those concerned with fitness and appearance, aligning with the era’s “yuppie” lifestyle. One of the most iconic campaigns was the “Diet Coke Break” series, which began in 1994. These advertisements depicted groups of women taking breaks to watch attractive men, such as construction workers or delivery men, enjoying a Diet Coke.
Despite its strong association with female consumers, Coca-Cola recognised the potential to expand Diet Coke’s appeal to a broader audience. In the early 2000s, the company attempted to create a unisex appeal for the brand, moving away from exclusively feminine marketing strategies. However, this strategy faced challenges.
In recent years, Diet Coke has experienced a resurgence among male consumers, particularly high-profile figures. President Donald Trump is known for his love of Diet Coke, reportedly consuming several cans daily and even installing a button in the Oval Office to summon the beverage. This shift aligns with a broader cultural trend that food and beverage analyst Andrea Hernández describes as “cocaine-induced opulence.” This trend celebrates stimulant-fuelled productivity and echoes the excesses of 1980s Wall Street culture.
Diet Coke’s evolution also taps into a sense of nostalgia among consumers, particularly those who romanticise the aesthetics and culture of the 1980s. Moreover, Diet Coke has become emblematic of modern office culture. Its caffeine content provides a stimulant effect favoured in high-pressure work environments, making it a popular choice among professionals seeking a quick energy boost without the sugar crash associated with other sodas.
Recognising this shift in consumer demographics, Coca-Cola has adapted its marketing strategies. In recent years, campaigns have featured male celebrities, such as actor Jamie Dornan, aiming to broaden Diet Coke’s appeal and reflect its evolving consumer base.
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