The Real Coke, the Real Story

by Thomas Oliver

“Examines why the set-in-its-ways Coca Cola Company tampered with a drink that had become an American institution—and blundered into one of the greatest marketing triumphs of all time.”—New York   On April 23, 1985, the top executives of the Coca-Cola Company held a press conference in New York City. News had leaked out that Coke, the king of soft drinks, would no longer be produced. In its place the Coca-Cola Company would offer a new drink with a new taste and would dare call it by the old name, Coca-Cola.   The new Coke was launched—and the reaction of the American people was immediate and three months of unrelenting protest against the loss of Coke. So fierce was the reaction across the country that it forced a response from the Coca-Cola Company. Stunned Coca-Cola executives stepped up to the microphone and publicly apologized to the American people. They announced that the company would reissue the original Coca-Cola formula under a new name, Coke Classic.The Real Coke, the Real Story is the behind-the-scenes account of what prompted Coca-Cola to change the taste of its flagship brand—and how consumers persuaded a corporate giant to bring back America’s old friend.

Genres: Business, Nonfiction, History, Biography

161 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 12, 1986

Reviews

[Amar Pai]

i don't care

[Brian Rogers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Found this bit of nostalgia on my in-laws shelves (apparently my wife bought it for her dad when it came out and was happy to revisit it. Oliver does a fine job laying out the history of the Coca Cola company, the vicissitudes of its fortune, and the events that led it to the decision to change the Coke formula in the mid 80s. (For obvious reasons - like not having a time machine - he doesn't mention any of the less savory aspects of Coke's corporate culture that came out in the 1990's lawsuit, but they were in my mind during the reading.) The book came to market so quickly after the events depicted that it doesn't go too long after the seminal event, but he captures the immediate insanity after the change. I was in my early teens at the time and I remember it clearly (mostly through the Bloom County "Bleah, we changed coke again!" monster in Binkley's anxiety closet), but having all the quotes, as well as the existence of such purely American figures as grifters trying to make a buck off harassing Coca-Cola about the change, was fun to read.

[Barry Simiana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book, explains the small things that can kill big ideas. I have a fascination with Coca Cola, despite not being a drinker of it. It is amazing how this stuff has taken over the world.

This book is about the history that became the debacle that was New Coke. They shoulda known. They didn't listen to the customers. In short, they fucked up. But in amongst it all, there were some successes.

A history and a lesson to all big businesses that think they know more than their customers, and a timely read for me.

[Nolan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Do you remember where you were on April 23, 1985? Probably not, but you remember the consequences of a Coca-Cola press conference that happened that day. That was the day leaders at the Atlanta-based soft drink maker announced the birth of something they called New Coke.

This is an extremely short but fascinating look at the company’s mistakes in announcing New Coke and the nimbleness with which it pivoted when America said, “hell no!”

You get a brief history of the company in the early chapters, then you get to see inside stats on how Pepsi sneaked up on the once untouchable Coke and surpassed it in sales. You see a struggling Coca-Cola company losing ground and dealing with internal weaknesses and bad management in the late ‘60s and throughout the ‘70s. Pepsi introduced its Pepsi Challenge, and Coke leaders came close to panic. You see, everyday Americans picked Pepsi in the blind taste tests most of the time. When the challenge got old, Pepsi trotted out Michael Jackson who reminded Americans, especially the 20- and 30-something boomers, that they were part of the “Pepsi generation.”

Very few products have created the kind of ire in the hearts of Americans that New Coke created. People poured it out in the streets of major cities, and the phones sizzled in Hotlanta with complaints and remonstrations about the death of an American icon.

Chapter 11, appropriately titled The Second Coming, looks at the rapid way the company restored Coca-Cola Classic to the shelves.

I’ve left a good deal out about the nature of leadership involved in giving birth to New Coke, and you should read this to gain a better understanding. Naturally, this is dated. It first appeared in the NLS collection in 1987. So, while Cherry Coke and Diet Coke get the nod in this book, Coke Zero didn’t exist. Does that make this book outdated? I guess it does, but it’s still a fascinating study in how to make a mistake you don’t think you’re making and how to recover rapidly from it.

Time to end this review. I wouldn’t want my Coke Zero to get warm or flat, after all. Despite my demographics, this writer is decidedly not part of the Pepsi generation!

[Kacey · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is, by far, the most boring read on the most fascinating piece of history to me personally.

I lovingly give it 3 stars because I have been a fan of Coca-Cola my whole life but I often avoid non fiction as my ADHD gets really tired of reading facts and statistics!

This story is very interesting and iconic of Coke's past, the reason I was even seeking this book out is because I came across it in book drop at the library in the early summer of 2019 via Ohiolink as the only copy in the system. Stranger Things had announced its 3rd season to drop July 4th and New Coke was going to be coming back as a limited time promotion along with new Stranger Things x Coca-Cola merch for sale. I did actually get to try New Coke, with my husband and a few friends and watched that new season, but never got around to getting a copy of the book.

I eventually looked for a copy of this book online, and found one old library copy, of which will live on my bookshelf from now on. It's not in too rough of shape, but as it was likely used more for research and less for reading, it isn't all that worn.

I obviously don't reccomended this book, to anyone for any reason. Watching a YouTube video about the whole New Coke fiasco will do the job and be way more entertaining, but reading something so detailed (the book was published only a year after everything happened) and so specific was quite interesting to say the least. From a long time Coke fan, this will be a fun piece of memorabilia and nothing more, but at least I can say I have read it!

[Bryan Myers · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting look at a pivotal moment in Coca Cola's history.
I'm still interested in a more comprehensive history of the brand and think it might be a fascinating story as to how one of the most recognizable brands in the world is the descendent of two stimulants (Coca(ine) and Cola (caffeine)).
I didn't realize it at the time but Oliver wrote this shortly after the Coca Cola scrapped new Coke and released Coca Cola Classic, a brand that's old than I am. That's user error on my part but I would also be interested to see where Coke has gone after new Coke.
Releasing the book a year after feels like there isn't enough in the rear view to really understand the implications.
A good business book with lots of content from those involved. It actually tipped me off that the book was written in the 80s as many of the big players were already pretty old during new Coke.
Read this if you want to read about a very specific point in time in a very specific market.

[Keith Flint · Rating 4 out of 5]

Speaks to the power of a brand name. Fast, interesting read.

[David Wingert · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thomas Oliver’s “The Real Coke, The real Story”, gives us the history of Coca Cola and how that played into the introduction of the reformulated Coke debacle in 1985. The book primarily deals with the decisions around the reformulation made by management and the missteps they made concerning customer loyalty to the “original” formula. An interesting story on how a company can lose sight of their customers.

[Cory Van Horn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Remember when Coke introduced New Coke? Remember when everyone protested the removal of their favorite flavor? This book gives you an inside a scope of what it was like for Coke executives as they launched the worst marketing campaign in history and then it into the biggest product launch the world has ever seen.

[Jordyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading people's reactions to the Stranger Things New Coke revival brought this book back to my memory. I read it in high school and enjoyed it. It's possible that this book piqued my interests in PR and communications. Being a 90s baby, it gives great context to the vibrant ads hailing Coca Cola Classic being the Real Thing.

[Karla Martinsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Todd gave this for Christmas and started me reading this genre