Everyone Remembers Their First

Hold onto your hats... what you are about to experience may be underwhelming.

It's happening... as I type, I have an open can of Diet Coke with Splenda (provided by a thoughtful ally at work) in front of me. I've tried to create a normal diet soda comfort zone at my cube - the chilled can is nestled snuggly in my favorite UGA koozie, I am busy at work, thirsty, but not TOO thirsty. Yes... everything seems just right for diet soft drink consumption. Until I take my first sip.

I'm shocked. I am honestly taken aback at how different something can taste by changing the sweetening agent. Regular Diet Coke has a somewhat clean, refreshing finish to it that is light and crisp. I think the Splenda version has a more heady, thick taste profile. It's hard to describe... it's not quite bitter, but a concentrated sweetness perhaps - one that hits at the back of my mouth. It's not a light sweetness like the aspartame version.

I will say the new version tastes similar to regular Coke. But I don't like the taste of regular Coke - I feel it's a little on the sickeningly sweet side. I like the light taste of aspartame-sweetened Diet Coke. It's refreshing.

So kudos to Coca-Cola for being inventive and responding to what consumers said they wanted. I don't think it's a bad product perse. However, this consumer just wants something different - her tried and true Diet Coke comfort zone. I'll do my best to keep the pulse of consumer response on this new product.

Here are a few thoughts I've picked up from across the triple W:
Diet-Blog
Media Line Forum
Cool Running Forum
Tinkerty Tonk
Fish Sticks and Green Jello
BevNet Forum
Ritilan.com
Pith in the Wind
Low Carb Freedom
Infinite Monkeys