36. The Coca Cola Conspiracy

Coca Cola is the top soft drink internationally and arguably it is the world’s most recognized company. At one point that was all at jeopardy when Pepsi Cola’s sales were rising. People were starting to favor Pepsi over Coke and that is when Coca Cola needed to do something. They decided to come out with a whole new formula for their beloved Coca Cola called “New Coke” which completely and utterly failed. After bringing the original Coke back, their sales were better than before. Conspiracists believe that the “New Coke” was purposefully bad. Was it a marketing ploy or was it just used as an opportunity to permanently change the formula?

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Episode Pictures and Videos:

https://www.businessinsider.com/new-coke-the-30th-anniversary-of-coca-colas-biggest-mistake-2015-4

http://fcpacompliancereport.com/2015/02/new-coke-and-technological-solutions-as-a-response-to-the-economic-downturn/

https://fortworthbusiness.com/culture/new-coke-from-1985-makes-comeback-with-stranger-things/

Other Episode Sources:

• https://www.britannica.com/topic/New-Coke

• https://www.coca-colacompany.com/company/history/the-birth-of-a-refreshing-idea

• https://www.history.com/topics/crime/the-war-on-drugs#:~:text=In%20the%201980s%2C%20President%20Ronald,the%20dangers%20of%20drug%20use.

• https://www.businessinsider.com/coca-cola-vs-pepsi-timeline-2013-1#though-pepsis-beverage-brands-may-not-be-as-strong-its-snack-food-business-is-enormous-12

• https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/which-is-better-high-fructose-corn-syrup-or-table-sugar

• https://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/29/opinion/when-jim-crow-drank-coke.html

• https://www.huffpost.com/entry/coca-cola-taste-test_n_1324282

• https://earthsky.org/human-world/a-brief-history-of-high-fructose-corn-syrup

• https://nyulocal.com/new-world-university-new-coke-408182f0fe33

• https://www.docsity.com/en/news/interesting-facts/coca-cola-conspiracy/

• https://hightimes.com/culture/flashback-friday-the-coca-cola-conspiracy/

• https://www.science20.com/hank_campbell/did_cocacola_suppress_unfavorable_studies_or_is_this_another_systemic_conspiracy_story_by_us_right_to_know-237950

• https://blog.hornellp.com/theexaminer/who-doesnt-love-a-conspiracy-theory

• https://www.conspiracies.net/coke-conspiracies-capitalism-finest/