Vanilla Coke
I'm not a big consumer of soft drinks. If I want a sugary drink, I prefer fruit juice. However, I occasionally indulge, especially when I need a little caffeine. I've been putting in a lot of hours at work recently and had trouble getting up today. So I swung by the local 7-11 on the way to work. They had the new Vanilla Coke available at the fountain and I decided to try it. Before I give you my impression, I'll discuss Coca Cola's New Coke fiasco.

On April 23, 1985, the Coca Cola Company changed the formula for their flagship drink (Coca Cola or Coke). They were concerned that more and more people were drinking Pepsi. Coke has a more bitter, adult taste while Pepsi has a sweeter taste (almost carbonated Kool Aid, IMO). I've never cared for Pepsi myself, but it is very appealing to those who like sweet drinks. The New Coke was a very bad idea. It tasted like a second-rate Pepsi - it was very sweet. On July 11, 1985 - less than 3 months after the introduction, Coca Cola brought back the original formula.

I brought up this history because I think the Coca Cola Company learned from the experience. Vanilla Coke is not a replacement for Coca Cola, but an additional drink. Unlike the New Coke of 1985, Vanilla Coke is not a second-rate Pepsi. The vanilla makes the soda taste sweeter than regular Coke, but not too sweet. IMO, Vanilla Coke will appeal to those who like sweet drinks and is a better sweet drink than Pepsi. It'll be interesting to see how many Pepsi drinkers like Vanilla Coke.