Diet Pepsi, a no-calorie carbonated cola soft drink, has been a staple in the beverage industry since its introduction in 1964. As a variant of Pepsi with no sugar, it caters to consumers seeking a low-calorie alternative. This article delves into the ingredients of Diet Pepsi in 2008, its historical context, marketing strategies, and its evolution over the years.
A Brief History of Diet Pepsi
Diet Pepsi was initially test-marketed in the United States under the name Patio in 1963. The positive reception, attributed to the shifting dietary habits and preferences among Baby Boomers, led to its national launch as Diet Pepsi the following year. This marked the first time a diet cola was distributed on a national scale in the US.
Early Competition
In the 1960s and 1970s, Diet Pepsi's primary competitors were Tab, produced by The Coca-Cola Company, and Diet Rite cola, produced by RC Cola. However, in 1982, The Coca-Cola Company introduced Diet Coke, which has since become the principal competing product to Diet Pepsi.
Global Expansion
While the United States represents the largest single market for Diet Pepsi, it was launched in the U.K. in 1983 and has since become available on a global scale. The beverage composition, flavor variations, and packaging vary based on the country of production.
Ingredients of Diet Pepsi
Though Diet Pepsi is represented worldwide as a low- or no-calorie beverage, the ingredients comprising its makeup vary in some cases by the country of origin.
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Ingredients in the US
In the US, the ingredients are recorded as "carbonated water, caramel color, aspartame, phosphoric acid, potassium benzoate (preserves freshness), caffeine, citric acid, natural flavor; phenylketonurics: contains phenylalanine".
Ingredients in Canada
In Canada, the ingredient listing reads: "carbonated water, caramel color, phosphoric acid, aspartame (124 mg/355 ml, contains phenylalanine), sodium benzoate, caffeine, flavor, acesulfame potassium (32 mg/355ml), citric acid, dimethylpolysiloxane".
Sweeteners
The initial formulation of Diet Pepsi was sweetened with the artificial sweetener saccharin. However, concerns over saccharin emerged in the 1970s, prompting a shift to an alternative sweetener, aspartame, which was marketed as the brand NutraSweet, in 1983.
Controversies Surrounding Aspartame
Aspartame has been the subject of controversy, most notably in 1996 following a 60 Minutes report on concerns alleging that aspartame might be linked to the development of brain tumors in humans. Critics of aspartame have expressed concerns that numerous health risks may be associated with its consumption. However, peer-reviewed comprehensive review articles and independent reviews by governmental regulatory bodies have analyzed the published research on the safety of aspartame and have described it as safe for consumption at current levels.
Packaging and Logo Changes
When it was first introduced in 1964, Diet Pepsi was packaged in glass bottles and was also made available in can format. In 1994, Diet Pepsi became the first product to list a “freshness date” on each individual can and bottle, a practice that would later become a widespread standard in the packaged food and beverage industry. The logo used in the packaging and advertisement of Diet Pepsi has changed multiple times since its original iteration.
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2008 Redesign
In October 2008, PepsiCo announced it would be redesigning its logo and re-branding many of its products, including Diet Pepsi. At this time the brand's blue and red Pepsi Globe logo became a series of "smiles," with the central white band arcing at different angles depending on the product. In the case of Diet Pepsi, the logo consisted of the small "smile".
Classic Sweetener Blend
The Classic Sweetener Blend variety was distinguished by its use of the 2003-2006 wordmark along with the "smile" logo, and a light blue label background in contrast to the modern formulation's silver label. By mid-2017, packages of Classic Sweetener Blend dropped the 2003 wordmark and began using the modernized wordmark instead.
Advertising and Promotion
While it was initially advertised alongside Pepsi, Diet Pepsi began to be promoted independently in the late 1960s. The first television advertisement to feature Diet Pepsi as a standalone product was "Girlwatchers," which placed focus on the cosmetic aspects of the beverage. Since its inception, musicians, professional athletes, actors, and actresses have been featured prominently in the promotion of Diet Pepsi.
Celebrity Endorsements
In 1985, immediately following Super Bowl XIX, the game's respective quarterbacks, Joe Montana (of the San Francisco 49ers) and Dan Marino (of the Miami Dolphins), met in a hallway of what appeared to be a football stadium. In the late 1980s, Michael J. Fox appeared in commercials for Diet Pepsi, including a memorable commercial that featured him making a robot clone of himself. During the early 1990s, R&B singer Ray Charles was featured in a series of Diet Pepsi ads featuring the brand's then-current tagline, "You got the right one, baby!" Supermodel Cindy Crawford became a recurring celebrity endorser for the Diet Pepsi brand at this time as well, beginning with a 1991 television ad in which she purchases a can of the drink from a vending machine on a hot summer day.
Market Share and Sales
As of 2010, Diet Pepsi represented a 5.3 percent share of all carbonated soft drink sales in the United States and was ranked as the #7 soft drink brand by volume.
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Additional Variations
Additional variations of Diet Pepsi have been introduced over the years since the drink's debut, wherein other flavors (such as wild cherry, vanilla, lemon, and lime) have been added to the cola. There is also a variant that has no caffeine: Caffeine-Free Diet Pepsi was the first Diet Pepsi variant and introduced by PepsiCo in 1982. Diet Pepsi Wild Cherry was launched in 1988. Both are still produced today.
Pepsi Max and Pepsi Zero Sugar
Pepsi Zero Sugar, previously known as Diet Pepsi Max, is a low-calorie, sugar-free cola marketed by PepsiCo. It was officially announced on March 2, 1993, and initially called Pepsi Max. Diet Pepsi Max was introduced in the United States on June 1, 2007, and in Canada in March 2008. In 2023, Pepsi Max packaging was redesigned as part of a greater Pepsi rebranding. The updated packaging has a color scheme of electric blue and black. In addition, in many countries the product was renamed to Pepsi Zero Sugar.
Marketing of Pepsi Max
For Super Bowl XLIV in July 2010, Pepsi Max did a reboot of a well-received ad that ran during the 1995 Super Bowl XXIX. In the original ad, a pair of delivery drivers from Coca-Cola and Pepsi began a tentative friendship while listening to "Get Together" by The Youngbloods; in a peacemaking gesture, the two rivals taste each other's soda. Pepsi sponsored the Super Bowl LI Halftime Show, naming it "The Pepsi Zero Sugar Super Bowl LI Halftime Show" with its headlining performer being American singer-songwriter Lady Gaga.
Diet Soda Consumption and Health
In the 1990s, diet soda consumption was stable but started to increase in 2002, rising from 4.8 ounces per person per day to 5.6 ounces in 2004. 86% of Americans use diet products, including low-calorie, reduced-sugar, or sugar-free foods and beverages.
Health Concerns
Research in animals provides evidence that aspartame has a strong cancer-causing and brain damage potential, with the dosage tested approximated at the ADI for humans. In 2007 and 2008, scientists confirmed and reinforced aspartame’s varied cancer-causing potential at a dose level close to the amount suggested for humans. Moreover, when exposure begins during fetal life, the chances of cancer are enhanced. Aspartame has 92 side effects listed by the FDA and use by pregnant women and young children is discouraged.
Phosphoric Acid
This stuff has a tangy, sour taste and slows the growth of mold and bacteria. It’s a bit different from straight phosphorus as it binds with magnesium and calcium in the digestive tract to form salts that aren’t absorbed. This may lead to a decline in the materials needed for bone deposition. So as you might assume, studies have associated phosphoric acid consumption to a lower bone density. Diet colas, which generally contain phosphoric acid (non-colas usually don’t), have also been linked to kidney disease and kidney stones. Two or more colas per day more than doubled the incidence of kidney disease in one study; non-colas didn’t have the association.
Potassium Benzoate
This stuff is a preservative and discourages the growth of yeast, mold, and bacteria. It has minimal taste and risk for toxicity. Unfortunately, along with ascorbic acid (vitamin C), potassium benzoate can form benzene. Benzene is a known carcinogen. Sodium benzoate is also used in some diet sodas, but since most people don’t want the extra sodium, manufacturers are using it less.
Citric Acid
More than half of all citric acid is produced in China. It acts as a preservative and provides a sour taste. Too much of it can erode tooth enamel. While it does exist naturally in citrus fruits, this isn’t where most “food grade” citric acid comes from. Actually, cultures of something called Aspergillus niger are fed on a sugar-containing medium to produce it.
Caffeine
Caffeine is the most widely consumed stimulant in the world and occurs naturally among several plants such as coffee bean, kola nut, tea leaf, and cacao seed. Caffeine is actually one of the most widely studied, and most effective, ergogenic acids on the planet.