Throughout the years, these soda brands have created a lot of different types of beverages. Here’s what happened to be popular from the 1970s to the 2000s.
1970: Cotton Club
It sounds more like a clothing manufacturer, but back in the ’70s, Cotton Club was a big soda manufacturer. The company was located in Cleveland, Ohio.
According to Case Western Reserve University, Cotton Club created a bunch of fruit-flavored drinks in 1902. Their company expanded a lot after that, though.
They made standard drinks for those who weren’t fond of tropically flavored beverages. Their cola, root beer, and ginger ale were also very popular in the ’70s.
1971 – 1972: Coca-Cola
Now, let me get one thing straight. Coke has never not been popular. In fact, it’s been the top brand for decades, according to NBC News.
That said, 1971 was a big year. That was the year they launched their famous “Hilltop” commercial — a.k.a, “I’d Like To Buy The World A Coke.”
The Washington Post reported that the spot cost the company $250,000. The money paid off, though. “Hilltop” became the world’s most popular commercial.
1973: Mr. Pibb
In the ’70s, Mr. Pibb started slowly becoming available after initially testing in Texas in 1972. Coke originally called this drink “Peppo,” but as expected, Dr. Pepper sued them.
Thus, they changed it to Mr. Pibb. Personally, I feel like the name adds a level of intrigue. These days, Mr. Pibb is known as Pibb Xtra.
Fans everywhere weren’t too happy about the change, and we can understand why. “Mr. Pibb” just has more personality, even though the flavor hasn’t changed much.
1974: Sugar-Free Sprite
We know it today as Sprite Zero, but back then it was Sugar-Free Sprite. It first went into production in 1974. That wasn’t the only rebranding this drink faced.
In 1983, it was known as “Diet Sprite.” If you grew up with the drink, you probably still call it this in your head, despite the rebrands.
Not only does this soft drink have zero sugar, but it also has zero calories. How do they accomplish this? With artificial sweeteners, of course.
1975: A Tie Between Coke and Pepsi
Coke is usually number one, but in 1975, things got weird. New York Magazine reportedly ran a poll about America’s favorite diet sodas. You can probably guess the winners.
The top spot listed a tie between Coke and Pepsi. But not even Diet Coke and Diet Pepsi, which is ridiculous. They shouldn’t have been included.
Personally, I wasn’t born yet, so I couldn’t really stop them. But if I was, then I would’ve written a letter of complaint.
1976: Tab
As diet drinks were making their way to America, Tab had a different approach. They were Coca-Cola’s answer to the fad, but they didn’t actually label themselves as “diet.”
In fact, Tab was more like a lifestyle. Originally created in 1963, it was meant to appeal towards women who wanted to “keep tabs on their weight.”
The 1970s is when the product grew further, according to MeTV. To make it more appealing, they offered a bunch of different flavors for customers to try.
1977 – 1978: Dr. Pepper
Remember when I mentioned Mr. Pibb? It was trying to complete with Dr. Pepper, but that’s a hard battle to win. The late 1970s was especially good for them.
Like Coke, it was because of their memorable commercials. The “I’m a Pepper” commercials started airing in 1977, which had an infectious jingle.
They also reportedly started airing ads before theatrical releases, which was much more of a rarity back then. Never deny the power of a well-placed ad.
1979 – 1980: Mello Yello
Dr. Pepper wasn’t the only drink that had competition. Mountain Dew did, too. The competitor’s name was Mello Yello. It came out in 1979.
The soda packs a ton of caffeine and has grown to include a bunch of other flavors. Orange, grape, and limeade were a few.
Mello Yello might not be the most popular today but, like all nostalgic sodas, it definitely has a fanbase. It’s currently owned by Coca Cola.
1981: New York Seltzer
In the ’80s, people briefly looked for sophistication in their nostalgic sodas. Hence, why New York Seltzer (founded in 1981) was so popular with consumers.
The company admits on their website that they’re known best as “the 1980s in a bottle.” They have no problem helping define such a popular decade.
If you weren’t old enough to enjoy them back then, don’t worry. The seltzer is still around today. You can buy it directly off of their website.
1982: Tab
Tab was still gaining popularity around this time, but for one key reason. Her name was Elle MacPherson, and she starred in a 1982 commercial for the beverage.
In it, she’s looking great in a bikini while the music raves about Tab’s “beautiful taste.” The messaging is clear — drink Tab, and you’ll look like her.
It’s hard not to think that MacPherson just drank Tab all day on Friday and woke up on Saturday looking like that. It’s probably not true, though.
1983: Caffeine Free Coca-Cola
In 1983, Coke released a caffeine-free soda that was unlike the other sodas in their lineup. Oddly enough, Pepsi did it first and this was Coke’s response.
Pepsi’s caffeine-free soda was called Pepsi Free. While a whimsical name, it didn’t get the point across and was later rebranded as “Caffeine Free Pepsi.”
For caffeine addicts, the drink defeats the purpose. But for people who needed a good night of sleep, this product was a lifesaver.
1984: Pepsi
Even though Coke usually came out on top, Pepsi wasn’t lagging all that far behind. With Michael Jackson’s help, they beat Coke in 1984.
He’s pretty controversial now, but in the ’80s, Michael Jackson was a huge star. The fact that he endorsed Pepsi was phenomenal for the company.
In s video that samples from his hit “Billie Jean,” he dances alongside Alfonso Ribeiro. Don’t recognize the name? He was Carlton from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
1985: Jolt Cola
With caffeine on the rise, 1985 was perfect for Jolt Cola. Their slogan leaned into it. According to CNET, it was, “All the sugar and twice the caffeine.”
The sugar factor might turn people off today, as sugar is on everyone’s must-avoid list, but hey. At least the company was honest about their product.
That’s what makes this nostalgic soda different from the rest. Well, aside from the amount of caffeine, which was slightly less than a Red Bull.
1986: Apple Slice
Who says adults can’t feel cool drinking apple juice? Apple Slice is part of the Pepsi lineup, released in 1986 (per The New York Times).
Based on the commercials, they made it look extremely refreshing. You can easily be persuaded that Apple Slice was at least better for you than a standard Coke.
That reputation had more to do with marketing than nutrition. Slice (a soda line of which Apple was just a flavor) was unhealthy, like any other soft drink.
1987-1988: 7Up Gold
Even though 7Up was caffeine-free, the company made an exception for 7Up Gold. A collaboration with Dr. Pepper, the revamped drink released in 1987.
Even though it brought a little bit of life into the soda corporation, 7Up Gold didn’t stick around too long. So, what gives?
It’s probably because even though the apple cinnamon flavor intrigued people that first year, it didn’t really suit most meals. The advertising wasn’t great, either.
1989-1990: Wild Cherry Pepsi
Wild Cherry Pepsi was invented in 1988, but it really gained popularity in ’89. However, many modern fans tend to call it Pepsi Wild Cherry.
In fact, the Pepsi company reportedly rebranded the product in 2005. In 2014, the soda got an even fresher ad campaign after execs saw its sales rise.
We’re not surprised at all, though. Who can resist the subtle fruity twist? Plus, cherry is a classic soda flavor that everyone’s tried at least once.
1990 – 1992: Clearly Canadian
The ’90s gave a notable sales boost to this little known product. The Clearly Food & Beverage Company of Canada reportedly made their soda in 1987.
However, it really hit its stride in the United States in the early ’90s. In fact, in 1992, Clearly Canadian reached a peak sales amount of $155.2 million.
The company’s beverages, which came in a variety of flavors, have a devoted fanbase even to this day. With a nostalgic soda like this, we’re not surprised.
1993: Zima
Even though this is an alcoholic beverage, it kind of counts as a soft drink as well. Perhaps that’s why Zima was eventually discontinued in 2008.
The Coors Brewing Company thought up the rather innovative idea. Zima had carbonation and was kind of a big deal for people who weren’t too into beer.
It was kind of like a mix between Sprite and light beer. But, like many products back in the ’90s, Zima was written off as a fad.
1994 – 1995: Fruitopia
To this day, many people mourn the loss of Fruitopia. Back in the mid-’90s, Fruitopia was known as somewhat of an alternative drink, framed as a healthier choice.
It wasn’t great for you health-wise, but parents seemed to approve of it. Plus, the drink’s ads were often trippy, engaging, and super fun.
Each flavor had a unique name that parents wouldn’t immediately understand. It was a glorious beverage, aimed for young people, and they drank it up.
1996: Bottled Water
Okay, so bottled water isn’t exactly a nostalgic soda. But soda consumption levels crashed in 1996, and many big soda companies introduced water brands to their product lines.
Consequently, bottled water started becoming the go-to beverage. The bottled water spike may have also resulted from tap water’s bad reputation, according The New York Times.
And we’re not that surprised. At the time, many people weren’t really concerned about reusable water jugs and the environmental havoc that plastic bottles wreak.
1997 – 1998: Orbitz
People will buy anything if it looks cool. Enter, Orbitz. Orbitz was a soft drink with packaging that looked like a lava lamp. Need I say more?
There were tiny, colorful blobs of gelatin floating in each bottle (much like a ’90s version of boba). People didn’t enjoy this drink for too long, though.
The intrigue eventually wore off, though. At the end of the day, Orbitz was just a little too weird. But it’s still quite the nostalgic drink.
1999: Surge
Surge was supposed to be competition for Mountain Dew. The drink released to consumers in 1997, but it became more popular as the years passed.
Fans petitioned to get Surge back when it disappeared in 2003. And they sort of won. You won’t find it in grocery stores, but it’s available online.
A sugary citrus concoction, Surge makes many people reminisce about the ’90s. And the product art is just plain cool. Who wouldn’t want a taste?
2000: Red Bull
Energy drinks really made their mark in the 2000s. Red Bull was one of the first ones. Fun fact: it actually got its start overseas.
Red Bull only gained popularity in the United States after the 1997 California release. The company marketed to a very specific demographic: college students.
With this marketing tactic, the energy drink quietly spread all over. They gained traction by producing wacky animated ads and sponsoring athletes and sporting events.