Good-for-you and less-bad-for-you sodas have become a current marketing trend.
Diet soda has been wildly popular since the 1980s, and recent “zero sugar” products like Coke Zero and Pepsi Zero have brought better taste (or at least taste closer to the full-sugar versions) to low- or no-calorie sodas.
Coca-Cola (KO) did not enter the soda market with Diet Coke. That soda had a predecessor, TaB, which was discontinued on Oct. 16, 2020, outraging the soda’s dedicated fanbase.
TaB fans, however, did not simply let their favorite beverage go. Instead, they got organized.
TaB fans have united to send Coca-Cola a message
The SaveTaBSoda Committee is a group of fans of the diet beverage who want to force Coca-Cola to bring it back.
“We’re TaB drinkers on a mission to save our soda. The SaveTaBSoda Committee was formed in October 2020, shortly after the Coca-Cola Company announced the planned discontinuation of TaB soda,” the group shared on its website.
Its past actions have included a protest at Coca-Cola headquarters in Atlanta, a petition to bring the drink back, and a letter to the company. Now, five years after TaB was discontinued, the SaveTaBSoda Committee has a new plan to convince Coca-Cola to bring back TaB.
The committee shared the event’s info in a press release.
This October, the group is launching ‘Spirit of TaB Month,’ a fan-driven, school spirit-style celebration designed to honor TaB’s cultural impact — and to demonstrate the product’s lasting sales demand.
To kick off the month-long campaign, SaveTaBSoda has unveiled a billboard in Atlanta, Coca-Cola’s hometown, featuring bold visuals and a clear message: TaB still matters. The billboard will remain live throughout October, serving as both a tribute and a strategic signal to decision-makers.
Throughout the month, the group will host a series of virtual activities, including:
- Community storytelling and grassroots magic: Celebrating the voices that keep TaB alive
- Virtual fan meetup: Connect, reminisce, and rally with fellow TaB lovers
- Surprise online happenings: From retro flair to fizzy fun, expect the unexpected
- Interactive moments all month long: Designed to spark nostalgia and show Coca-Cola the love still flows
Image source: Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola has resisted so far
Coca-Cola has not commented in response to the SaveTabSoda Committee’s efforts to bring back their favorite soda.
It did share comments in 2020, when it discontinued TaB alongside dozens of other beverages.
“We’re forever grateful to TaB for paving the way for the diets and lights category, and to the legion of TaB lovers who have embraced the brand for nearly six decades,” Kerri Kopp group director, Diet Coke, Coca-Cola North America, said in a press release. “If not for TaB, we wouldn’t have Diet Coke or Coke Zero Sugar.”
She also tried to pay tribute to TaB on its way out.
“TaB did its job. In order to continue to innovate and give consumers the choices they want today, we have to make decisions like this one as part of our portfolio rationalization work,” she added.
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Another Coca-Cola Executive Anthony Bonatatabas, Senior Director of Marketing, Coca-Cola Freestyle, did comment on the beverage and whether it could be added to the Freestyle system.
“So we absolutely see the value in tapping into the nostalgia. There are no plans right now of bringing Tab back. I hate to break your heart on that,” he shared on TheStreet’s Street Smarts podcast.
TaB Timeline
- 1963: Coca-Cola introduces TaB as its first diet soda, sweetened with cyclamate and saccharin.
- 1969: The FDA bans cyclamate due to health concerns; Coca-Cola reformulates TaB using only saccharin.
- 1970s-1980s: TaB becomes a cultural icon, especially among women, and is marketed as a “beauty drink” with a distinctive pink can.
- 1982: The launch of Diet Coke shifts consumer preference, leading to a decline in TaB’s popularity.
- 1992: Coca-Cola introduces TaB Clear, a colorless version of the soda, which is discontinued by 1994.
- 2006: TaB Energy is released, featuring a tart flavor and sweetened with sucralose, but it doesn’t achieve significant market success.
- 2010s: Despite low sales, Coca-Cola continues to produce a limited quantity of TaB annually, catering to its dedicated fanbase.
- October 2020: Coca-Cola announces the discontinuation of TaB, citing the need to streamline its product lineup during the Covid pandemic.
Source: Allrecipes
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