Crystal Pepsi - Definition and Overview

Crystal Pepsi

Crystal Pepsi is a soft drink that was made by PepsiCo from 1992 to 1993 in the United States. In Europe, Crystal Pepsi was sold for a longer time. It is considered by some to be the company's equivalent of New Coke.

The soft drink was marketed as a "clear alternative" to normal colas. Unlike many other colorless sodas, which usually have a lemon-lime flavor, Crystal Pepsi tasted like a cola. Starting with test markets in April of 1992, Pepsi found that the new soda was approved by those who got to try it early on. Pleased with the results, the company began to sell it nation-wide in 1993. A large marketing campaign was launched along with it (accompanied by Van Halen's hit song "Right Now"). Initial sales were good, but they quickly fell to the point that it wasn't turning a good enough profit for Pepsi to continue to market it. This was due to the fact that many people didn't like the taste of it, and many others thought it was too similar to the regular Pepsi soda to be worth it. As a result, Pepsi pulled the drink off the market.

Despite all this, Crystal Pepsi still has a small following, particularly on the internet. Web sites have been made in honor of it, and some of the few remaining cans and bottles of it can be found for auction on web sites such as eBay.

The comedy show Saturday Night Live created a parody of Crystal Pepsi's "Right Now" ads. The spoof featured cast members enjoying a clear, viscous "Crystal Gravy".

See also

• List of major flops

External links

• A Crystal Pepsi fan web site (http://crystalpepsi.captainmike.org/)
• A petition to bring back Crystal Pepsi (http://www.petitiononline.com/clear/petition.html)