Diet Coke, known in some countries as Coca-Cola Light, is a sugar-free and low-calorie diet soda produced and distributed by The Coca-Cola Company. This cola drink uses artificial sweeteners, primarily aspartame, instead of sugar, offering a zero-calorie alternative with a taste similar to regular soda. However, some describe an aftertaste reminiscent of licking a battery. Despite debates about its health effects, Diet Coke has become a popular choice for those seeking to manage their calorie intake.
The Genesis of Diet Soda: A Response to Health Concerns
The concept of diet soda emerged in response to growing health concerns and the needs of specific consumer groups. In 1952, The Kirsch Bottling Company, run by Hyman Kirsch and his son Morris, created No-Cal, the world's first diet soda. This innovation was inspired by diabetic patients at the Jewish Sanitarium for Chronic Disease (now Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center) who needed sugar-free beverage options. Originally available only in ginger ale flavor, No-Cal soon expanded to include root beer, cola, and black cherry.
Unfortunately for The Kirsch Bottling Company, it didn't have the diet soda lane to itself for long. Royal Crown Cola and Dr. Pepper soon launched diet sodas. Then, in 1963, Coca-Cola came out with its now discontinued diet soda, Tab.
Coca-Cola Enters the Diet Soda Market: The Launch of Tab
When diet colas first entered the market, beginning with No-Cal in 1958, the Coca-Cola Company had a long-standing policy to use the Coca-Cola name only on its flagship cola, and so its diet cola was named Tab when it was released in 1963. As the weight-conscious market grew, Coca-Cola introduced Tab in 1963. While Tab was successful, its sales were limited by the absence of the Coca-Cola trademark.
The Birth of Diet Coke: A Secret Project
Recognizing the need for a diet soda that could leverage the iconic Coca-Cola name, the company began developing a new product in 1975. This project was a confidential, high-priority initiative that represented a significant risk for The Coca-Cola Company. Jack Carew, the planning manager who led the Diet Coke project, noted, "We needed a big idea to come out of one of the toughest decades we'd ever seen."
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The development of Diet Coke was a closely guarded secret, with only a select few senior executives aware of the project. Team members had to agree to the assignment before receiving any details. Jerry Bell, who worked with Carew in the Planning Department, described it as "an entrepreneurial, cloak-and-dagger operation in the purest sense."
Overcoming Internal Challenges and Risks
The decision to create Diet Coke was not without its challenges. Roberto Goizueta, then Chairman and CEO, green-lighted the project despite concerns that it could cannibalize Tab, which was already a moneymaker. However, the diet market was growing rapidly, and Diet Coke was seen as the right product for the right time.
Pat Garner, who joined the Diet Coke team with experience in bottler and field marketing, explained, "We said Diet Coke would be more accretive to Coca-Cola brand value, because we would source volume from the competition versus the Coke franchise."
Naming the New Beverage: Diet Coke Emerges
The team debated various names, including "Sugar Free," but ultimately decided on "Diet Coke" because it was the most straightforward and logical choice. John Farrell, from Corporate Finance, noted, "The equity of the Coca-Cola name promised the delivery of taste, and ‘diet’ told you it didn’t have sugar or calories."
For many years, the brand name was written and marketed as diet Coke - with a lowercase “d” - to reinforce the positioning of the product. Coke’s trademark lawyers wouldn’t allow the uppercase “D.” Their reasoning: Diet with an uppercase “D” was a noun, and the use of a noun changed the name of the trademark. Use of the lowercase “d” was an adjective and, therefore, did not alter the legal basis of the trademark.
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Financial Strategy and Bottler Enthusiasm
Farrell developed a financial model to demonstrate the link between the brand’s marketing activities and bottler revenue, which motivated the system and turned bottlers into full-fledged Diet Coke enthusiasts. The economics of Diet Coke were appealing because it didn't contain sugar, allowing for accelerated growth in a growing category with a high-margin structure.
Marketing and Launch: "Just for the Taste of It"
The initial can design featured bold red letters against a white background with diagonal pinstripes. Coca-Cola USA invested heavily in marketing the brand, positioning it as a great-tasting soft drink that happened to have one calorie, rather than as a diet drink that tasted great.
To create a visual identity, the team built a makeshift grocery aisle to see how the designs would look on the shelf alongside other brands. The core demographic was identified as baby boomers who were getting older and more weight-conscious.
Extensive consumer research revealed that consumers associated the drink with masculine movie stars. The slogan "Just for the Taste of It" was used for almost all years between its 1982 launch and at least 1997, accompanied by an iconic jingle. A version of the song was also performed by Elton John and Paula Abdul in an ad at Super Bowl XXIV.
The Debut and Rapid Success
Diet Coke was unveiled on July 8, 1982, and its launch was carefully orchestrated. Six lead markets - New York, Jacksonville (Fla.), San Diego, Minneapolis, Denver, and Baltimore - were selected to debut the brand. A high-profile press conference was held in New York City, and within a week, 75 percent of the area population was aware of Diet Coke’s imminent introduction.
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The first TV commercial aimed to define the character of the brand and make a bold statement. The spot was filmed on July 29, 1982, at Radio City Music Hall in New York after a gala event for bottlers and key customers.
Within a year, Diet Coke became the No. 1 diet soft drink. By 1984, it displaced 7 Up as the No. 3 soft drink in the United States, behind Coca-Cola and Pepsi, a position it held until the end of 2010 when it overtook Pepsi. Just one year after appearing in the United States, Diet Coke was distributed in 19 countries, including Australia, Canada, Costa Rica, Great Britain, Northway, South Africa and West Germany.
Variations and Global Presence
Since its launch, The Coca-Cola Company has introduced several varieties of Diet Coke, including:
- Caffeine-free Diet Coke (1983)
- Diet Cherry Coke (1986)
- Diet Coke with Lemon (2001)
- Diet Coke with Lime (2004)
- Diet Coke with Splenda (2005)
- Diet Coke with Raspberry (2005)
- Diet Coke Plus (enhanced with vitamins and minerals, 2007)
- Diet Coke with Ginger Lime
- Diet Coke with Mango
- Diet Coke with Blood Orange
- Diet Coke with Ginger Lemon
Diet Coke is known in select countries by the names Coca-Cola Light, Coke Light and No-Calorie Coca-Cola. As of 1992, the product was available in 117 markets worldwide with a unit case volume of 1.25 billion.
Ingredients and Health Considerations
The most commonly distributed version of Diet Coke uses aspartame as a sweetener. Aspartame was approved for use in the United States in 1983. Early on, to reduce costs, this was blended with saccharin. After Diet Rite cola advertised its 100 percent use of aspartame, and the manufacturer of NutraSweet (then G. D. Searle & Company) warned that the NutraSweet trademark would not be made available to a blend of sweeteners, Coca-Cola switched the formula to 100 percent aspartame.
Other than sweeteners, Diet Coke differs from Coca-Cola by having a higher amount (approximately 33% more) of caffeine.
Aspartame has been deemed safe for human consumption by the regulatory agencies of many countries. Nevertheless, since its inception the drink has been scrutinised by some with claims that it is harmful in various ways, such as that it can dehydrate and increase food cravings.
Cultural Impact and Slogans
Diet Coke has had a significant cultural impact, including links with healthiness and wellness but also negative connotations in regards to body image. It has achieved high popularity in certain circles with loyal fans, including in popular culture. Victoria Beckham, Dua Lipa and Bill Clinton are known fans of the drink, and Donald Trump notably has a dedicated button for Diet Coke in his presidential office. The drink has been known to be the choice of "it girls", and has been popular in the fashion scene.
Coca-Cola has used various slogans throughout Diet Coke's history to advertize the product, both in the United States and internationally. From 2010 to 2014, "Stay Extraordinary" was the main slogan in use. Coca-Cola launched the "You're on" campaign in 2014. However it was soon dropped after it was mocked, due to its unintentional drug reference (cocaine). Later that year, "Get a Taste" was introduced, asking the question "what if life tasted this good?". This campaign lasted until 2018. In 2018, Diet Coke launched the "Because I can." slogan and campaign at the same time as a major rebrand and the addition of new flavors.