In 1985, in what has now become an all-time classic marketing tale, the Coca-Cola Company [?] a major marketing blunder. After 99 successful years, it [?] aside its long­standing rule-"Don't mess with Mother Coke"-and [?] its original formula Coke! In its place [?] New Coke with a sweeter, smoother taste.
At first, amid the introductory flurry of advertising and publicity, New Coke [?] well. But sales soon [?] flat, as a stunned public reacted. Coke [?] receiving sacks of mail and more than 1,500 phone calls each day from angry consumers. A group called "Old Cola Drinkers" staged protests, [?] out T-shirts, and threatened a class-action suit unless Coca-Cola [?] back the old formula. After only three months, the Coca­Cola Company brought old Coke back. Now called "Coke Classic," it sold side-by-side with New Coke on supermarket shelves. The company [?] that New Coke would remain its flagship brand, but con­sumers [?] a different idea. By the end of that year, Classic [?] outselling New Coke in supermarkets by two to one.
Quick reaction [?] the company from potential disaster. It stepped up efforts for Coke Classic and [?] New Coke into a supporting role. Coke Classic again [?] the company's main brand, and the country's leading soft drink. New Coke became the company's "attack brand"-its Pepsi stopper-and ads boldly com­[?] New Coke's taste with Pepsi's. Still, New Coke [?] only a 2 percent market share. In the spring of 1990, the company [?] New Coke and [?] it as a brand exten­sion with a new name, Coke II. Today, Coke Classic [?] more than 20 percent of the U. S. soft drink market; Coke II holds a miniscule 0.1 percent.