Pepsi to release blue soda.
May 9, 2002 4:22 AM   Subscribe

Pepsi to release blue soda. Now we know what they've used in those diaper and maxipad commercials all these years.
posted by plinth (64 comments total) 18 users marked this as a favorite
 
Ok, so let's start a contest. What could be the most artificial, nasty and garish meal possible using off the shelf products. We've got chocolate fries with green ketchup so far. All washed down with above-mentioned windex lookalike.
posted by jeremias at 4:40 AM on May 9, 2002


pekar predicts massive flop. blue food is an appetite suppressant.
posted by pekar wood at 4:56 AM on May 9, 2002 [2 favorites]


I vaguely recall a study once that served the subjects food which had been dyed blue with a (tasteless) food colouring. They wouldn't eat it if they could see the colours but the subjects who were blindfolded chowed down.

Translation: Blue just isn't natural. Except if you're a hyacinth.
posted by CatherineB at 4:59 AM on May 9, 2002


Pepsi has made blue soda before, at least down in the Carolinas. Back in the early 90s after Duke and Carolina won national championships in 91,92,93, cans of blue soda were made and distributed locally. Nasty tasting shit it was.
posted by corpse at 5:13 AM on May 9, 2002


"Pepsi Blue has the potential to reinvigorate the cola category," said Gary Rodkin, CEO of PepsiCo North America.

Life to be worth living now, thanks to Blue Pepsi.
posted by Blake at 5:19 AM on May 9, 2002 [1 favorite]


If you're trying to make an unappetizing meal, don't use the green ketchup -- it almost looks natural. Go with the purple, which is more accurately described as a bilious looking shade of gray.
posted by rcade at 5:21 AM on May 9, 2002 [1 favorite]


An additional comment: Isn't this going to make kids more likely to drink antifreeze?
posted by rcade at 5:22 AM on May 9, 2002


The only blue drink I would consider drinking would have a lot of alcohol in it. Personally, I wish they would make Crystal Pepsi again. I liked that stuff.
posted by JaxJaggywires at 5:37 AM on May 9, 2002


"Pepsi Blue has the potential to reinvigorate the cola category," said Gary Rodkin, CEO of PepsiCo North America.

I'm sure they thought the same thing about Pepsi Clear. It's carbonated sugar water. There's not a lot of room for improvement.
posted by UnReality at 5:39 AM on May 9, 2002


I'm the sort of cheap novelty-seeking jackass who keeps these marketing hacks in business. This is targeted right to me, and I'm sure I'll try it.
I often buy food based solely on how artificial and fucked up it looks.
Current Fav? Spider-Man "Spidey Berry" style Pop-Tarts.
They look like Lego. They taste like Hitler's ear wax.
Cant. Stop. Eating. Them.
posted by dong_resin at 6:11 AM on May 9, 2002 [1 favorite]


It sounds horrible, but then, I like Dr. Brown's Celery Soda, so go figure.
posted by alumshubby at 6:18 AM on May 9, 2002


Does anyone else here, think that the blue Pepsi is just Pepsi Clear with Blue #3? They have to use that unwanted stock somehow.
posted by mkelley at 6:20 AM on May 9, 2002


I've had blue soda. There's a barbecue joint here in Bridgeport called the Drumstik, which used to have this whole array of low-end soft drinks, one of which was called Blue Sky and was the color of pool water(I haven't seen it in years and I googled, so I don't know if it still exists) and tasted like liquid bubblegum. Although, for some reason I can remember that it was bottled in Tuckahoe, NY. Went nicely with a plate of ribs.
posted by jonmc at 6:21 AM on May 9, 2002


Blue soda is going to be huge with kids. Most kids will pick a blue drink first, then red, then green (like the dew), then cola last, if you line up bottles of power-ade and/or soda on a counter. I've tested this countless times and have made money betting adults which color their own kids will pick. The bet is only a quarter, which I always hand over to the kid if I win, but I've won at least 20 dollars worth of quarters entertaining myself with this during the much dreaded madatory snack stand duty at Little League and football games where my son plays. The adults always say their kid is going to pick red, for some reason. The kids always pick blue, because it's weird, it's pretty, and they're curious.
posted by iconomy at 6:40 AM on May 9, 2002 [2 favorites]


Mmmm jonmc. Bubble Gum and ribs!
posted by KevinSkomsvold at 6:40 AM on May 9, 2002 [1 favorite]


Now that I think about it, a couple of local joints offer a "cocktail" of sorts for kids called a Smurf, which is nothing but Sprite, a couple drops of blue food coloring, and a maraschino cherry on top. Kind of an alternative Shirley Temple. (Does anybody order those anymore? Does anybody young enough to be drinking one even know who the hell Shirley Temple is?)
posted by alumshubby at 6:44 AM on May 9, 2002


Well everyone thought that nasty green ketchup stuff would flop but it is still on the shelves....

"Pepsi has made blue soda before, at least down in the Carolinas. Back in the early 90s after Duke and Carolina won national championships in 91,92,93, cans of blue soda were made and distributed locally. Nasty tasting shit it was."

Ha! You drank that crap? I have a case of the Duke 1992 cola. You want some of it???? Duke bought quantities of this and distributed it by the case load to every frat and sororiety on campus - thanks to being an Iron Duke as well I somehow ended up with a case worth of my own and no idea what to do with it. Hmmm.... maybe I could sell it on ebay...
posted by gloege at 6:50 AM on May 9, 2002


alumshubby - Friendly's (a chain of burger/breakfast/ice cream joints, for those who have never heard of it) sells Shirley Temples for girls and Razzberries for boys. They come in a glass that holds about 1500 ounces of soda, and they're very pretty. The Razzberry is windex-bright blue, with maraschino cherries for decoration, and the Shirley Temples are red. Both supposedly taste exactly the same. I don't even want to get into the whole "different colors and names for girls and boys" thing, but Shirley Temples are indeed alive and well and being exposed to the next generation.
posted by iconomy at 7:00 AM on May 9, 2002


then green (like the dew)

ico, Dew is not green, it is yellow. Which is why I never drink it out of a clear plastic cup. I always feel like I'm carrying a specimen around, looking for the doctor.
posted by jonmc at 7:01 AM on May 9, 2002 [1 favorite]


I've drunk blue soda. My college group's Communications thesis was on Star Trek, and at the Trek-themed thesis defense, we served the teachers Sprite, tinted light blue with food coloring. We called it Romulan Ale. There was too much coloring in my glass, and I got slightly nauseous. Fortunately my Vulcan makeup hid the green that my face had turned.

I rush to add that this was a long time ago, and I would most definitely not repeat such a stunt in my ripe old age.
posted by brownpau at 7:03 AM on May 9, 2002


Hey, twenty comments into a Pepsi thread, and no one's mentioned Britney Spears. Owillis, where are you? ;)
posted by brownpau at 7:04 AM on May 9, 2002


(Does anybody order those anymore? Does anybody young enough to be drinking one even know who the hell Shirley Temple is?)

I recently completed a stint waiting tables at a local redneck bar and grill, and yes, kids today order Shirley Temples even if they aren't on the menu.

Now we know what they've used in those diaper and maxipad commercials all these years.

That made me laugh out loud. I hate that blue liquid!
posted by jennyb at 7:09 AM on May 9, 2002


Britney Spears?? Maybe with this new product, Pepsi is trying to lure the Blue Man Group.
posted by JaxJaggywires at 7:12 AM on May 9, 2002


Pepsi sucks anyway. Bah. (insert Dogbert paw wave here).

Of much more importance in Recent Cola Announcements?

Vanilla Coke.
posted by ebarker at 7:17 AM on May 9, 2002


I seem to recall that when a boy orders a Shirley Temple, they call it a Roy Rogers. These names are absolutely mystifying to an 8-year-old by the way. I remember my cousin asking me why his drink was named after a hamburger joint.
Interesting that the beverages seem to require gender-specific names though. It wears off when you hit adulthood though. Otherwise, I'd be asking the bartender for Bloody Mario's and Margaritos.
posted by jonmc at 7:19 AM on May 9, 2002 [2 favorites]


as cool as blue and vanilla are, why can't we have OK back?
posted by clango at 7:22 AM on May 9, 2002


Two jiggers of rum and a dash of blue curaƧao helps quite a lot to disguise the flavour and colour of Pepsi.
posted by MiguelCardoso at 7:31 AM on May 9, 2002


Well if we are demanding colas back, can I have Tab make a comeback???? I love that pink can!
posted by gloege at 7:38 AM on May 9, 2002


Jones has been making a blue bubble-gum flavored soda for a while now. I tried it once and thought it was horrid - not because of the color, but because it had way too much sugar and "gum flavor".
posted by O9scar at 7:38 AM on May 9, 2002


Oh my God. clango is here. I love you, clango. Really. You're the sexiest hunk of man-metal ever.

(sorry, everyone. It won't happen again. Momentary loss of composure.)
posted by iconomy at 7:56 AM on May 9, 2002


Just yesterday I sampled some blue vanilla ice cream. I like vanilla (especially French vanilla) but while this stuff did taste like vanilla, it wasn't all that good.
posted by StOne at 8:29 AM on May 9, 2002


Actually boys, the difference is this:

Shirley Temple: Grenadine and clear soda (7up/Sprite)
Roy Rogers: Grenadine and cola (Coke/Pepsi)

If you can, get them with Coke or 7up as sprite and pepsi are usually too sweet once you add the grenadine. I am allowed to order a Roy Rogers, at least here, they don't really care.

Brownpau: It wasn't THAT long ago, but I took a class in college called "The Social Relevance Of Star Trek" where we had a similar experience at our "final" which entailed weirding up some food for a party at the instructor's house to watch the final episode of TNG. ok, so now you know exactly when it was... back to your regularly scheduled thread.
posted by verso at 8:40 AM on May 9, 2002


At the grocery store this weekend we saw pink and blue butter in a squeeze bottle.

And there's "Mystery Color" ketchup now too. I figure they just bottled a bunch of regular ketchup with funky labels and kids just think they're unlucky to get red all the time. ;)
posted by Foosnark at 8:50 AM on May 9, 2002


While I hesitate to self-link, it must be said that I predicted this some time ago.
posted by Danelope at 8:54 AM on May 9, 2002


Kids love anything that doesn't look (or taste) like the usual stuff (just ask Heinz). I guess Pepsi marketers aren't that dumb - they're probably aiming this at the hormone-challenged preteen crowd - Britney's audience, in a word. The kids won't have money of their own to waste, but hell do they know how to make their parents do.

Still, I don't think any other age group would get too excited by drinking something that looks -and probably tastes- like Windex. Yuck.
posted by betobeto at 8:56 AM on May 9, 2002


More on the Psychology of Color.
posted by gloege at 8:56 AM on May 9, 2002


An additional comment: Isn't this going to make kids more likely to drink antifreeze?

First mention of possible lawsuit from parent who's child drinks Blue Pepsi thinking it's antifreeze. Right here. :)
posted by digital_insomnia at 9:02 AM on May 9, 2002


This is actually just the next chapter in the tragicomic history of Blue Raspberry Ingestibles. May we never forget the grandeur of the Blue ICEE, or the lovely Otter Pop "Louie-Bloo Raspberry", both of which are good if you don't think too much about Windex or 2000 Flushes while you're enjoying them.
posted by Kafkaesque at 9:03 AM on May 9, 2002


I always thought the "boy" version of the Shirley Temple was called the Charlie McCarthy? At least that's what my brother and I always got when we went out to a fancy restaurant with my grandparents when we were little. Also -- ginger ale with grenadine.

As for the blue thing... Blue was always the most popular color when popsicles were handed out at my summer camp. For some weird reason they were root beer flavored. Still don't get that one.
posted by nstop at 9:13 AM on May 9, 2002


As an FYI, antifreeze is green, window washer fluid is blue, brake fluid is red, oil is black/brown-black. Except for the color blindedness issue, car fluids are color coded so you know by sight what might be leaking out.
posted by plinth at 9:20 AM on May 9, 2002


Blue Slush Puppies have always been my fave. Apparently they're raspberry but they just taste of blue to me after all these years.
posted by kirsty at 9:56 AM on May 9, 2002


If red drinks are targeted at African Americans, can we Asian Americans corner the blue soda market?
posted by anildash at 10:13 AM on May 9, 2002


Clango: What, are you nuts? OK soda tasted like liquefied moldy tangerines. Nifty ads, baaaad product.

Couldn't find a good site, but somewhere there ought to be a tribute to short-lived Pepsi products such as:
Pepsi Free
Pepsi Light
Crystal Pepsi
Pepsi Max
Pepsi XL

I slightly miss 7Up Gold. Now that was something -- spicy, hurt-yer-throat kinda swill -- at least, as far as sugared water can go.

Think I'll stick to enjoying Orangina. (When I can find it, as it's not easy to come by in Texas.)
posted by skyboy at 10:21 AM on May 9, 2002


skyboy,

popsoda.com has orangina at a pretty good price. I would also recommend club orange, it's similar to orangina(but much better IMHO)..
posted by PugAchev at 10:42 AM on May 9, 2002


Oh my God. clango is here. I love you, clango. Really. You're the sexiest hunk of man-metal ever.

i'm just really happy that rstevens is on mefi, and i have a lower user number...

i [heart] diesel sweeties.
posted by boogah at 10:57 AM on May 9, 2002


I got addicted to Orangina in NYC. When I was at Indiana, I was able to find it at the Kroger near the College Mall, of all places. I haven't been able to find it as easily out here in the western suburbs of Chicago. If anyone knows of a place to find it, let me know.

And Tab still exists out here...I saw it at the local Jewel not long ago.

I almost forgot about 7-Up Gold but I liked it. I also liked Crystal Pepsi.
posted by SisterHavana at 10:58 AM on May 9, 2002


Got a hankering for a highly gingered ginger ale. Haven't been able to find Benheim's since passing though South Carolina once. Comes in "Hot" and "Not so hot" -- truth in advertising, that.

Vernor's, the pride of Detroit, comes in a distant second.
posted by sacre_bleu at 11:04 AM on May 9, 2002


It's Blenheim's. Doh.
posted by sacre_bleu at 11:06 AM on May 9, 2002


Although I'd vote Vanilla Coke, Vernor's can't be beat. Too bad its Detroit's best kept soda secret. However, dingeberry-flavored Maine favorite, Moxie, make me want to spew. Is it soda or is it pop?
posted by Quixoticlife at 11:12 AM on May 9, 2002


By the way, Pepsi's also trying dark green soda, called "Mr. Green," via their SoBe brand. The stuff looks like Simple Green to me, but hey, maybe the kids like drinking cleaning products.

I'm sticking to my fav, Green River.
posted by me3dia at 12:02 PM on May 9, 2002


"Gum" is not a flavor any more than "crunchy" is a taste.
posted by glenwood at 12:38 PM on May 9, 2002 [1 favorite]


"There is no ... blue ... FOOD!"

-- George Carlin
posted by chuq at 1:04 PM on May 9, 2002


Actually, that's not entirely true. My first visit to New Mexico introduced me to the delights of blue corn products -- tortillas, posole, atole, etc. It's the bluest food I've ever eaten. And the Hopi use this stuff (I don't know the multisyllabic Hopi word) that's translated as "culinary ash", used as a seasoning and a coloring that turns the food ... well, blue.

That said, I have no interest in artificially-colored blue soda. But a cup of hot, thick blue corn atole ... mmmmmmmmm!
posted by chuq at 1:07 PM on May 9, 2002


I miss Josta (Pepsi's guarana cola). Not that I can drink it now that I'm officially diabetic. feh.
posted by Foosnark at 1:20 PM on May 9, 2002


skyboy, i'm gonna pretend i never heard that.

the best weekend of my freshman year of college involved drinking 7 cans of OK.

hey boogs, howdy do!
posted by clango at 1:22 PM on May 9, 2002


Now we know what Luke Skywalker and his aunt and uncle were drinking at breakfast in "Star Wars."
posted by kindall at 1:23 PM on May 9, 2002


Artificial colours scare me. They've got to be extremely unhealthy.
posted by five fresh fish at 2:17 PM on May 9, 2002


I drink Fresca religiously. It's 0 calories and refreshing. And, apparently, something Coke has no interest in marketing, since I only find it labout half the time at half the markets (this is in California). Apparently still a big soda in Mexico although I understand there's something different about the recipe there; this is actual, Made in the USA Fresca, which, for some reason, isn't even mentioned on the Coca Cola web site. I think they're trying to foist the grotestque pretender Citra on us instead.
posted by akmonday at 2:20 PM on May 9, 2002


They've got to be extremely unhealthy
And they make you pee some weird-colored urine
posted by matteo at 2:29 PM on May 9, 2002


Oh, man, you remember Rondo?

I just had a Rondo flashback.
posted by Kafkaesque at 2:56 PM on May 9, 2002


OK brownpau, pekar bite... Britney did a Pepsi ad with bob dole, that Viagra chomping stud. Viagra not only is blue, it makes you see blue too. Co-inkydink? I tink not!


Cross marketing at its best!


posted by pekar wood at 4:35 PM on May 9, 2002


the best weekend of my freshman year of college involved drinking 7 cans of OK.

did it also happen to include rum? that'd make for a very good college weekend.

all in all i'm glad dr. pepper hasn't messed with anything or tried "new" flavors.

dr. pepper > *
posted by boogah at 5:49 PM on May 9, 2002


Well since I reckon the Pepsi and Coke we're all drinking now is the colour of toilet bowl water after a dump,... so blue-coloured soda couldn't hurt, right? :-)
posted by timyang at 5:58 PM on May 9, 2002




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