Coke fans called it "Black Tuesday."
On April 23, 1985 — 30 years ago today — the carbonated disaster called New Coke made its debut. Coca-Cola's idea was to make Coke appeal to a younger generation by replacing its signature soda with a sweeter version. It quickly became a national disgrace.
The experiment only lasted a few months before Coke reversed course — on July 10, 1985, it announced it would bring back "Coca-Cola Classic," selling it alongside New Coke. But even though New Coke has gone down as one of the most infamous mistakes in marketing history, most people don't know the real reasons it failed.
New Coke didn't only fail because it tasted too sweet — it failed because the marketing campaigns, business structures, and company culture at Coke doomed it from the beginning.
