Pop Buy: Surge

In the late 1990s, Coca-Cola wanted to dethrone Pepsi’s Mountain Dew, which dominated the citrus soda market. Their answer was Surge—a bright neon green, high-caffeine soda originally tested in Norway as "Urge".

: Marketed as "fully loaded" with "carbos" (maltodextrin) for energy, it quickly became a cult classic among 90s kids and extreme sports enthusiasts. surge pop buy

: Coke launched Surge with a $50 million campaign, including a Super Bowl XXXI ad featuring teenagers racing through chaotic obstacle courses to grab a single bottle. In the late 1990s, Coca-Cola wanted to dethrone

: Despite an initial 95% taste-trial rate among teens, sales eventually fizzled. Rumors about its high caffeine levels led some schools to pull it from vending machines, and Coca-Cola officially discontinued it in 2003. The Movement: Fans vs. Corporate (2011–2014) : Coke launched Surge with a $50 million

Years after it disappeared, a Facebook-based community called the SURGE Movement was founded by fan Evan Carr. This wasn't just a group of nostalgic commenters; they treated their campaign like a business mission: About - SURGE Movement