Coca-Cola Canada is following the lead of Pepsi-Cola Canada Beverages and releasing a new only-in-Canada version of its diet cola.
While Pepsi has reformulated Diet Pepsi with new flavorings and a new blend of sweeteners, Coke will only be adding a new combination of sweeteners to Diet Coke.
The new sweetener blend – aspartame and Acesulfame K (potassium salt) – has no aftertaste, and extends the shelf-life of products.
Pepsi says the new flavoring formulation in addition to the blend of sweeteners will make Diet Pepsi taste more like regular cola.
Acesulfame K, developed by Hoechst AG, is about 200 times sweeter than sugar.
The new diet drinks are being released in Canada only because Acesulfame K, has been approved for use in beverages in Canada and several other countries, but has not yet been given the okay in the u.s.
Pepsi announced its product in early December, and has it in stores now.
Diet Coke will be on shelves in the next two months.
Coinciding with Coke’s announcement of the new product, was the launch of new Diet Coke television commercials from Lowe & Partners/SMS of New York.
The commercials mark the return to the old tagline ‘Just for the taste of it,’ which replaces ‘This is refreshment.’
McCann-Erickson Advertising of Toronto added new voiceover to the spots for the Canadian market that highlight the changes to the product.
Pepsi kicked off new Diet Pepsi during the SuperBowl Jan. 29 with a 30-second commercial starring magicians Penn and Teller.
The spot, from J. Walter Thompson of Toronto, also unveiled ‘All the taste you’re after,’ the new themeline for Diet Pepsi.
Separate French-language work has been created by Blouin Coulombe Dube Thompson of Montreal using a line that translates as ‘Better, that says it all.’
Jeff Lobb, vice-president marketing for Pepsi, says advertising will concentrate on the new Diet Pepsi through March, and then the company will look at a new campaign for Pepsi brand.
