Fans will see a modern new look and an added caffeine kick
THE Coca-Cola Company has a comeback in the works for a beloved soda flavor 53 years after its initial launch.
The beverage giant is reviving its iconic Mr. Pibb brand, tweaking both the look and taste of the caffeinated cherry-flavored soda.
The Coca-Cola Company rolled out Mr. Pibb back in 1972 as a rival to Dr Pepper, according to some reports.
The beloved spicy cherry soda gained a following for three decades and remained on store shelves until 2001, when it was discontinued and rebranded as Pibb Xtra.
Last week, Coca-Cola revealed in a press release that Mr. Pibb was “back and bolder than ever,” making a “comeback” to replace Pibb Xtra due to popular demand.
The revived beverage will be equipped with 30% more caffeine than the latest version as well as a refreshed taste, featuring “a bold, delicious taste profile” with “intensely sweet cherry with hints of caramel and a spicy bite.”
“Mr. Pibb is crafted for consumers looking for flavor with a kick,” reads the press release.
“Consumers have been asking for Mr. Pibb’s bold kick of cherry flavor for some time,” said Dane Callis, an executive with Coca‑Cola North America, said in the release.
“If you go on Reddit, X and other social media , you’ll find conversations about the mystique of Mr. Pibb. Mr. Pibb has a feisty loyal following, so he’s coming back in a bold, fresh way.”
A FRESH LOOK
The Coca‑Cola Company is launching Mr. Pibb and Mr. Pibb Zero Sugar with a new look, featuring “high-voltage” branding that preserves the drink’s unique persona and signature maroon color.
The new packaging adds touches of gold and an exclamation point to highlight the revamped beverage’s bold taste and extra caffeine content.
“When Mr. Pibb first launched, the packaging didn’t tell consumers what it was — it told them what it was not,” said Callis. “Not root beer, not cola. It’s something unique and original, a bold rebel in a category of norms.
“Nothing fans know and love about Mr. Pibb has gone away, but we took steps to modernize its look for new consumers’ tastes and preferences.
The revived beverages are hitting store shelves in select markets now, nearly 25 years later.
These include Florida, Chicago, Las Vegas, Michigan, and California, with a national rollout planned for 2026.
Shoppers will be able to get their hands on Mr. Pibb and Mr. Pibb Zero Sugar in 12-packs of 12-ounce cans at participating retailers, as well as 20-ounce bottles.
Two-liter bottles of the reformulated Mr. Pibb will also be available.
BOTTOMS UP
The Coca-Cola Company is hoping the drinks will appeal to longtime fans and new consumers alike, with one of its core consumer targets for the revived Mr. Pibb being “multicultural Xennials” – the micro-generation between Gen X and Millennials, born in the late 1970s and early ’80s.
The drink giant is taking strides to market the new beverages via online videos voiced by comedian and actor Roy Wood Jr. as well as social content.
Additionally, Coca-Cola will host experiential grassroots events, including at college campus hubs as well as at Tyler, The Creator’s Camp Flog Gnaw Carnival in Los Angeles.
“This is a brand people know and love, but there is also an entirely new generation that doesn’t know Mr. Pibb exists,” said A.P. Chaney, another Coca‑Cola North America exec.
“The challenge for us, creatively, was to lean into the lore and popularity of the brand while driving awareness and discovery. We tried to marry the old with the new, the fresh and fun with the familiar.”
Source: https://www.the-sun.com/money/15441611/coca-cola-mr-pibb-comeback-soda/