Coca-Cola Announces It Will Resurrect 1985 Flop New Coke

Coca-Cola / APA can of New Coke, which was originally launched in the summer of 1985. New Coke is making a comeback as part of Coca-Cola's partnership with the Netflix drama “Stranger Things.” (Coca-Cola / AP)

By AP Reports
Published May 21, 2019 at 6:29am

New Coke is making a comeback as part of Coca-Cola’s partnership with the Netflix drama “Stranger Things.”

Everyone: I don’t think Stranger Things can get any more 80’s.Stranger Things: Hold my New Coke… #StrangerThings3 #Enjoy pic.twitter.com/xnCGY1dkrQ

— Coca-Cola (@CocaCola) May 21, 2019

The companies announced the venture on Tuesday.

At least one Twitter user was excited about the idea, but reactions were mixed.

I am going to have to order this! I’ve always wanted to try “New Coke”! #Coke #CocaCola #Soda #BizNews #StrangerThings #Netflix https://t.co/Y8Aajm0PPZ

— Jeff Durso (@jdurso82) May 21, 2019

New Coke=awful. But I like what the #Coke exec says: “Buying a 30-second ad to drop into a certain time-frame is not as valuable as it once was.” Coca-Cola is bringing back New Coke in honor of ‘Stranger Things’https://t.co/BqVaCnUGdz

— Patrice Lehermeier, APR (@PLehermeier) May 21, 2019

Do you think Coca-Cola is making a mistake?

New Coke was considered one of the biggest marketing mistakes when it was launched in 1985. Changing Coke’s formula didn’t sit well with customers, and the new version was dropped after 79 days.

Coca-Cola agreed to resurrect it for a limited run after Netflix told the company that season 3 of “Stranger Things” would be set in the summer of 1985.

The company had to retrieve the New Coke recipe from its safe.

Workers also had to recreate the logo and the slightly different red for the cans from more than three decades ago.

Coca-Cola will release a limited number of New Coke cans Thursday as part of a “Stranger Things” package.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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