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10 forgotten Coke and Pepsi products of the 1960s
Could you go for a can of Devil Shake, Simba or Veep?
Image: Coca-Cola via parkerbros / YouTube
Coca-Cola and Pepsi are the two juggernauts of the soft drink industry, but even the giants have some lesser hits. Both companies have had their outright flops, like Crystal Pepsi or New Coke. The big two have also experimented with many flavors and brands to cater to the tastes and trends of the era.
In the 1960s, Coke and Pepsi rode the waves of beach culture, surf music, rock & roll and exoticism with these colorful beverages. Do you remember any of them?
1. Alegre
The "Mango/Pineapple flavored nectar" was not a soda, technically, but it certainly satisfied one's sweet tooth. According to the USA Soda website, this hit the market in 1968.
Image: canmuseum.com
2. Chime
Before marketing Mr. Pibb (which was originally called Peppo), Coca-Cola first dabbled with this Dr. Pepper clone in 1964. Likewise, it was made in Texas.
Image: antique-bottles.net
3. Devil Shake
With a name like a Jerry Lee Lewis number, Devil Shake was a chocolate drink, similar to Yoo-hoo, aimed at the youth set, right down to its bright, mod colors. With that name, the drink also likely ruffled a few feathers. Forget Crystal Pepsi, can Pepsi bring this back instead?
Image: Christian Montone / Flickr
4. Evervess
Pepsi's club soda with a "twist of lemon" came in a beautiful can. Most 1960s soda cans were pieces of art. It seems the Evervess brand lives on in Pakistan and Russia.
5. Patio
Pepsi's first foray into diet cola (or "diet cola flavored dietetic" as the can proclaimed) was brought back into the public consciousness thanks to Mad Men. After launching the cola in 1963, a fleet of new flavors including orange, grape and root beer hit shelves the following year. However, by the end of 1964, Patio Diet Cola would become good old Diet Pepsi.
6. Santiba
Evoking the Spanish Riveria, Coke aimed for the adult set with this line of mixers. Interesting that they labeled the tonic water with the less appetizing "quinine water." Perhaps they figured that amping up the antimalarial aspect would drive home the drink's tropical flair.
Image: Coca-Cola via parkerbros / YouTube
7. Simba
Introduced at the end of the decade, Simba boldly proclaimed, "It conquers the African thirst!" The cans and bottles of this citrus soda, similar to Squirt, featured a roaring lion. Perhaps Disney animators were big into chugging this stuff?
Image: Coca-Cola via parkerbros / YouTube
9. Tropic Surf
What gorgeous, cool packaging. It makes us want to listen to the Beach Boys while watching Flipper. That's probably not too far off from the demographic of this citrus soda.
Image: usasoda.com
10. Veep
We assume Hubert H. Humphrey was a fan of this "great thirst fixer, wonderful mixer." Veep was produced by Coca-Cola up until around 1964, until finally pushed aside for the nearly identical Sprite.
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