The Discontinued Coke Product You've Probably Never Heard Of
The beverage industry has seen its fair share of hits and misses. Experimenting with all types of flavors and gaudy packaging, grocery store shelves are constantly alternating between new and old favorites. Occasionally, you might see a mysterious beverage brand pop up that you have no idea what the drink could possibly taste like. In 1993, that brand was Coca-Cola's OK Soda, a citrusy carbonated beverage with a less than lively marketing strategy (via Saveur).
According to Saveur, the soda got its start after market research showed that "Coke" was one of the most recognized words in the world, second to "OK." Coca-Cola's creative team ran with that research, creating vague advertisements with little to no explanation of the product or the taste. The reason for this? The company had hoped to gear the underwhelming name with underwhelming, anti-corporate advertising toward Generation X. The product eventually flopped, and according to Business Insider, after just seven short months, the campaign had come to a close.
Why the product didn't stand a chance
In a video essay by YouTuber Thomas Flight, who uploads essays on visual media and culture, he broke down some possible explanations of why the OK Soda campaign ultimately failed. According to Flight, although OK Soda "stood out in a world of sensational advertising by being distinctly and boldly unsensational," the advertiser itself didn't make sense. Flight mentioned that one of the main reasons why the product could have flopped is "postmodern advertising," which often pokes fun of traditional advertising, seemed destined not to work coming from big corporations like Coca-Cola. His other theory behind the failure? Well, it might have tasted terrible. Flight mentioned that the drink allegedly tasted like a mix of "Coke, Dr. Pepper, root beer, and orange soda." No thank you!
Whether or not you've heard of OK Soda, or if it now sparks your interest, the product made a quick appearance in the '90s and most likely won't make a return. After all, OK Soda wasn't meant to strum up any excitement — if any feeling at all.