Cola Confusion: Coke introduces "Coca Cola Zero"

[jhlurie]

Okay, walking by a refrigerator case yesterday I spotted something called "Coca Cola Zero". I didn't have time to stop and buy the thing, but today I looked it up.

Apparently, it's a new Coke. It's not "regular" Coke. It's not "regular" Diet Coke. It's not even Diet Coke with Splenda. It's a new product reportedly different from all of those. Zero calories, but that's nothing new. Using Aspartame, just like Diet Coke, and not Splenda, like Diet Coke with Splenda.

So now I'm totally confused.

Coca Cola Zero website

According to the press release there, CCZ is aimed at a young market. Because I guess Diet Coke is for old fogies or something. And the Splenda Diet Coke? Who knows why they bothered to introduce that if this Coca Cola Zero was also being rolled out this month.

Reportedly, CCZ tastes "like real Coke". Now I'll have to go buy one.

[Gifted Gourmet]

As a bonafide skeptic, I'll believe it when I actually taste it ...

[bergerka]

I have the funny feeling that the official name for this is "marketing ploy to boost sagging sales"

K, going back to her tall frosty glass of Diet Coke with Splenda.

[Gifted Gourmet]

Okay, okay... I went to the grocery and bought this item .. didn't chill it yet, but from my inital quick taste, it was pretty good actually .. will see what it is like with chilling tonight ...

[jhlurie]

Okay, okay... I went to the grocery and bought this item .. didn't chill it yet, but from my inital quick taste, it was pretty good actually .. will see what it is like with chilling tonight ...

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Do you feel more young and hip now that you've bought this?

Seriously, that press release for this is hilarious. The whole idea of "youth oriented soft drinks" cracks me up. Mountain Dew and Pepsi have had some success with this marketing approach in the past though, so we will see.

Not that I don't believe they couldn't have formulated a Diet Coke aspartame variant with a more "real Coke" taste. It's just funny how they have to position it in such a way that it doesn't threaten any of the many other products they've rolled out. Heck, "Diet" isn't even in the name.

[Radio7]

I was pretty confused too, when I started seeing these around last week. Bought one yesterday - it's not bad. The only difference between it and 'diet coke' is the 'zero' has a taste more....caramel-y or something. More along the lines of a regular coke or coke classic.

I don't mind it, but I prefer less sweetness. I'm sticking to my diet pepsi (#1) and diet coke (#2).

I try and go for the caffeine free options whenever possible - recc'd by doctor.

[Jason Perlow]

There's also a new Pepsi ONE with Splenda now. I think its a complete reformulation of Pepsi ONE as opposed to a new product.

http://www.oneify.com

[bilrus]

Are you sure this Diet Coke under a new name? They no longer produce a product named Diet Sprite, but have renamed it Sprite Zero.

[jhlurie]

Are you sure this Diet Coke under a new name?  They no longer produce a product named Diet Sprite, but have renamed it Sprite Zero.

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I've tried this now. It's not simply a renamed Diet Coke--it tastes totally different. It's actuallly pretty darn good. And both the "regular" Diet Coke, the Splenda version, and the endless flavor variations were on the shelf right next to it.

At this point I don't know if this stuff is being sold in anything other than 16 oz. bottles.

[sparrowgrass]

I saw Coke zero in 12 ounce bottles yesterday.

Pretty tasty, but then I usually buy whatever diet cola is on sale, so what do I know?

[bilrus]

Are you sure this Diet Coke under a new name?  They no longer produce a product named Diet Sprite, but have renamed it Sprite Zero.

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I've tried this now. It's not simply a renamed Diet Coke--it tastes totally different. It's actuallly pretty darn good. And both the "regular" Diet Coke, the Splenda version, and the endless flavor variations were on the shelf right next to it.

At this point I don't know if this stuff is being sold in anything other than 16 oz. bottles.

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You're right, although I have to say I still prefer the original Diet Coke to all the other versions. I bought a 12 pack of cans this weekend.

[jhlurie]

I saw Coke zero in 12 ounce bottles yesterday. 

Pretty tasty, but then I usually buy whatever diet cola is on sale, so what do I know?

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And today I've seen both 2 liter bottles AND 12 packs of 12 ounce cans. So it seems Coke is taking this product fairly seriously (unlike C2, where they dropped the ball on distributing it in all of the standard packaging).

[Jason Perlow]

I tried my first bottle of Zero tonight. I like it. A LOT.

I think I actually like it better than Diet Coke with Splenda, which is amazing considering that Zero is Nutrasweet based. However, it also has Potassium Benzonate as well as Potassium Citrate, in addition to the usual Ace-K. I wonder if those two others are somehow neutralizing the usual Nutrasweet alkaline taste.

Even more amazing is that RACHEL liked it, and she despises all diet soda. She even said "leave that second bottle for me so I can have some with pizza." That's high praise indeed.

[JohnnyH]

Just tried it for the first time, and I think the jury's still out for me. It's definitely different -- and good -- but after drinking regular old diet coke for so long I'm apparently addicted to its flavor profile. Zero definitely has less "bite," which is in retrospect something that I rather like about the regular stuff.

[jhlurie]

I tried my first bottle of Zero tonight. I like it. A LOT.

I think I actually like it better than Diet Coke with Splenda, which is amazing considering that Zero is Nutrasweet based.  However, it also has Potassium Benzonate as well as Potassium Citrate, in addition to the usual Ace-K. I wonder if those two others are somehow neutralizing the usual Nutrasweet alkaline taste.

Even more amazing is that RACHEL liked it, and she despises all diet soda. She even said "leave that second bottle for me so I can have some with pizza." That's high praise indeed.

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So come on Perlow. Thanks to this silly website you are a powerful man now! Get on the phone to the CEO of Coke and demand they actually give Coke Zero some publicity! I've seen five Diet Coke with Splenda ads in the past few days and not a single Coke Zero ad.

Actually the big thing is distribution. I remember least year how bad the distribution was for Pepsi Edge, and I think that helped kill it (C2 on the other hand killed itself mostly because it sucked).

[Tess]

I think the Coke Zero bottle looks really ugly.

I may try it but suspect my default will remain regular Diet Coke with lime flavor.

I wonder if they are trying to take a page from the candy companies' book. I've read that the candy companies have managed to market special edition candies in a way that doesn't take away from market shares of the original. (I never usually buy Hershey's but I am now hoarding their limited edition Double Chocolate bar.)

[Toliver]

I think the Coke Zero bottle looks really ugly.

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I almost passed it up in the grocery store due to not recognizing what it was. The bottle is very...white.

The store was selling selling two of the mini bottles for a buck so I picked up two. I haven't tried it yet.

[Toliver]

Sorry for the back-to-back post but I've now tried it and give it a HUGE thumbs up.

Though it still doesn't taste exactly like regular Coca Cola, it's much closer to that flavor than Diet Coke, which has always been a peeve of mine. To me, Diet Coke does not taste like a diet version of Coca Cola (whereas Diet Pepsi does taste almost exactly like regular Pepsi). Coca Cola Zero has seriously narrowed that flavor gap and I would favor purchasing it without hesitation over Diet Coke any day.

[jhlurie]

I've seen five Diet Coke with Splenda ads in the past few days and not a single Coke Zero ad. 

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Okay. It's weeks later and I STILL haven't seen any Coke Zero ads. Am I watching too little TV? Has anyone seen them?

[Rachel Perlow]

Actually, I have seen the commercial for Coke Zero, only I didn't realize it was for Coke Zero at the time, just thought it was for Coke. Anyway, it's a varient on the "I'd like to teach the world to sing.... I'd like to buy the world a Coke" song,* now it's "I'd like to teach the world to chill.... I'd like to buy the world a Coke and chill with it a while." The young, hip, er "chill" singers are holding Coke Zero bottles. You can see the commercial via the Coke Zero website. Click "Chilltop" then "commercial." You can even download the song as a cell phone ringtone.

* You can also watch the original 1971 commercial, click Hilltop.

[jsolomon]

Seriously, that press release for this is hilarious.  The whole idea of "youth oriented soft drinks" cracks me up.  Mountain Dew and Pepsi have had some success with this marketing approach in the past though, so we will see.

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Yes, but didn't Pepsi start having success only after they caught Michael Jackson's hair on fire?

Has anyone notified Coke of this? My list of current pop stars who could be set aflame to increase sales is rather long...

[disneyfan1313]

I have a serious dislike for Diet sodas but when they were giving samples of this away at work the other day I had to give it a whirl. The first sip gave me a "wow...this tastes almost like coke!" feeling. Then the aftertaste hit. The same diet coke aftertaste which just lingers in your mouth. Ugh. I'll stick with my fully-loaded version! :)

[ronnie_suburban]

I also really enjoy Coke Zero; so much so that I've ended my recent caffeine boycott. It is extremely close in flavor to original Coke. Today, I poured myself a can over some ice, took a few sips and left it on my desk. During the half hour I was away from my desk, I thought about that beverage more than a few times. <scary>

I'd tried the Diet Coke with splenda a whilie back, and expected it -- based on some opinions I'd read -- to be at least a near match for regular Coke but it really didn't come close in my estimation. It tasted more like Diet Rite to me. Perhaps because of that, Coke Zero is not only good but surprisingly good.

=R=

[NulloModo]

I tried Coke Zero the other day. It isn't bad, but Diet Coke with Splenda has a far superior taste and taste much more like real coke to me (then again I haven't tasted real coke in almost two years, so, my sensory memory could be faulty).

Anyway, they'd better not pull the plug on Diet Coke with Splenda because they are introducing this product, DC wit S is the best new soda that anyone has put out in a long long time... now I am just waiting for a caffeine free version....

[pamjsa]

I have to say I still prefer the original Diet Coke to all the other versions. 

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I agree. my husband and I did a taste test with all three products--the original Diet Coke, the DC with Splenda, and the Zero. Maybe it's psychological, but I definitely preferred the original DC. The DC with Splenda was okay, but I found the Zero completely undrinkable. My eight-year-old son, on the other hand, took a sip and pronounced it "Awesome!" If they're aiming at a younger demographic, it appears they hit their mark.