Technically, the launch went well. However, even before they had tasted it millions of Americans disliked new Coke. Across the country and especially in the South, the birthplace of Coca-Cola, consumers reacted angrily and emotionally to the new formula. Thousands contacted the organisation’s headquarters in Atlanta. Remarkably, many were not Coca-Cola drinkers, simply American consumers disappointed at a major change to an iconic American product.

By mid-July, the pressure had become enormous, and Roberto Goizueta, the chairman, together with other senior executives announced that classic Coke would return. The news was leaked the previous day, and ABC News had interrupted daytime programming to break the story. The next morning headlines were filled with what insiders called “The Second Coming”. On the day of the official announcement, Coca-Cola’s hotline recorded 18,000 calls. For the first time in over two months people were positive, glad that their voices had been heard and that such a change had been aborted.

The company’s executives might have feared the consequences of reintroducing classic Coke, resulting as it did from unhappy customers, bad press and ignominious defeat. But the opposite occurred: it proved massively popular. Against all expectations, classic Coke outsold new Coke, and sales overtook Pepsi early in 1986.

Attempting to explain the renewed popularity of classic Coke, senior executives told the Wall Street Journal: It’s kind of like the fellow who’s been married to the same woman for 35 years and really didn’t pay much attention to her until somebody started to flirt with her.