Coca-Cola Vanilla

Vanilla Coke
	File:Coke Vanilla 2L.jpg
Type	Vanilla flavored Cola
Manufacturer	Coca-Cola Company
Country of origin	USA
Introduced	1950's as a fountain drink; 2002 as packaged
Discontinued	2005
Variants	Diet Vanilla Coke,Coca-Cola Black Cherry Vanilla
Related products	Pepsi Vanilla Twist
Website	us.coca-cola.com/products/coca-cola-flavors/vanilla

Vanilla Coke (also known as Coca-Cola Vanilla , and, for a time in the summer of 2003, V) is a soft drink made by adding vanilla flavoring to Coca-Cola. It was available as early as the 1950s at many soda fountains and restaurants, which added the flavoring themselves. Mass production began for the United States market on May 15, 2002, ^[1] as part of competitive plans against rival Pepsi and other soft drink producers. By 2004, the company had marketed Vanilla Coke in over 30 countries around the globe. ^[2]

The introduction of the vanilla flavor was hailed as “the greatest innovation since Diet Coke in 1983” ^[3] by the Coca-Cola Company. It was announced in late 2005 that the company would be phasing out the product in North American and European markets. ^[4]

History

The Coca-Cola Company first tested a Coca-Cola blend with extra vanilla flavoring at the 1982 World's Fair in Knoxville, Tennessee. ^[5] After the introduction of Cherry Coke and the failure of New Coke the company was hesitant to introduce anything radically new. It was not until early April of 2002 that rumors began to circulate that the Coca-Cola Company was planning a new variation to their classic soft-drink. The Coca-Cola Company were tight lipped regarding the details of the new beverage, commenting to a London based newspaper "we've always got a number of things in development.", leaving open speculation for what may develop. ^[6] It would later be revealed that testing for a vanilla flavor had been completed and that the new beverage would be available in months. However, in late April the company announced that Vanilla Coke would be produced as early as May. ^[7]

The company began mass-producing Vanilla Coke (also known as Coca-Cola Vanilla) for the United States market on May 15, 2002, as part of competition plans against arch-rival Pepsi and other soft drink producers. As of 2003, Vanilla Coke was marketed in European countries as well as Australia and New Zealand (in mid-2003). By 2004, the company had marketed Vanilla Coke in over 30 countries around the globe.

Marketing campaign

File:Vanilla coke ad.jpg

Promotional material.

The marketing campaign for Vanilla Coke aimed to appeal across all generations. Yolanda Ball, brand manager for Coca-Cola Classic, commented that "We had to learn how to balance the newness of vanilla with the established qualities of Coca-Cola". ^[8]

One of the first notable advertisements was a television ad created by The Martin Agency which was based upon the product's original campaign line of "Reward Your Curiosity". The ad featured actor Chazz Palminteri, in which he and another man pull aside a teenager into an alley when they caught him peering into a hole. Palminteri gives the boy a Vanilla Coke, as a reward for his curiosity.

Ball commented on the television ad by saying that "We were trying to create something new and intriguing... Half of it was about new, different and change of pace, and the rest of it was about how people love and trust Coca-Cola. But we didn't have to say New from Coca-Cola. We didn't have to hit them over the head with it." ^[9]

Vanilla Coke debuted at the Vanilla Bean Café, locally known as "the Bean," in the scenic town of Pomfret, Connecticut. The diet variety would be directed primarily at middle-aged women.

Product information

File:Vanilla coke.PNG

A typical can of Vanilla Coke. Produced in Australia.

File:Lg diet vanilla coke.jpg

Two forms of the diet variety.

Nutritional

Average quantity	per 12 oz serving	per 100 mL (about 3 oz)
Energy	165 calories	44 calories
Protein	0 g	0 g
Fat, total	0 g	0 g
- saturated	0 g	0 g
Carbohydrates	41.3 g	11.0 g
- sugars	40.9 g	10.9 g
Sodium	35 mg	10 mg

Packaging

Vanilla Coke was packaged in standard bottles in accordance with appropriate Coca-Cola packaging. For a brief period of time in mid-2003, the bottles that Vanilla Coke came in, which had before said Vanilla Coke, were changed simply to V. Afterwards, the original labeling was resumed, though the "V"-Labelling is still used occasionally.

Varieties

Coke Vanilla
Diet Coke Vanilla

In late 2002, a sugar free version of the soft drink, Diet Vanilla Coke, arrived on supermarket shelves. In some countries, including Australia and New Zealand, a similar drink is marketed as "Diet Coke with Vanilla." In 2005, the sugar-free product in the United States and Canada became "Diet Coke Vanilla," with more emphasis on the Diet Coke label. All varieties were discontinued in 2006.

Reception

Its inaugural year in 2002 was unsurprisingly its best. It is estimated that the product was purchased by about 29% of all United States households that year. ^[10]

Discontinuation

Doubt was cast over the future of Vanilla coke and its splinter beverages as it was revealed that 2004 sales amounted to 35 million unit cases in North America, compared to 90 million in its inagural year. Vanilla Diet Coke dropped by almost half since debuting in 2003 with 23 million unit cases sold, it fell to just 13. ^[11]

On November 3, 2005, the Cola-Cola Company announced that Vanilla Coke and its diet counterpart would be discontinued in the United Kingdom by early 2006. A day later it was announced that it would be phased out in North America by the end of 2005.

Coca-Cola introduced Black Cherry Vanilla Coke and Diet Black Cherry Vanilla Coke in North America in January 2006. The company said Vanilla Coke and Diet Vanilla Coke may be made available again in the future. ^[12]

"We are exploring ways to bring them back at another time, but right now Diet Black Cherry Vanilla Coke and Black Cherry Vanilla Coke are what consumers are telling us they want." ^[13]