Fiddling with the Real Thing

Coke changes its flavor for the first time and creates a new Pepsi Challenge

It was a bit like putting a miniskirt on the refurbished Statue of Liberty. Or painting the White House red. Or scribbling graffiti on a Norman Rockwell. If there has been any unchanging reality in the America of the past century--or indeed in a good part of the known world--it has been the presence and the unique taste of Coca-Cola. But last week executives of the Atlanta-based company announced that, as they see it, change goes better with Coke. Starting in May, they will introduce a new, slightly sweeter and smoother Coke that will totally supplant the old Coke and enter...

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