"The 'Silver Cola' Trump Brought?Not Sold in Korea, Different from Zero? [Delicious Stories]"

Sugar-Free Soft Drink Launched in 1982
Trump's Obsession: Brings It from the U.S.
A Cultural Icon for the Baby Boomer Generation

Editor's NoteThe earliest snacks are said to have been discovered in the ancient Mesopotamian civilization. In other words, snacks have accompanied every moment in human history. From biscuits and chocolate to ice cream, we bring you delicious stories behind the snacks we love.

During the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, President Donald Trump of the United States brought cola made in America with him to Korea. The product is called 'Diet Coke,' a sugar-free carbonated beverage developed by Coca-Cola. In Korea, it was sold under the name 'Coca-Cola Light' before being discontinued in 2022. What sets this silver can apart from the typical red zero cola, and why do Americans prefer the silver cola?

The 'Silver Coca-Cola' Popular Only in the U.S.-Trump's Unwavering Preference

Singer Elton John appeared in the 1991 Coca-Cola Diet Coke commercial. YouTube capture

Diet Coke is a sugar-free cola produced by Coca-Cola, distinguished by its use of the iconic Coca-Cola logo on a silver can, in contrast to the regular Coca-Cola sold in a red can.

Coca-Cola also sells another sugar-free soft drink brand, 'Coca-Cola Zero.' While both are sugar-free beverages, Diet Coke focuses on a crisp and light sweetness, whereas Coca-Cola Zero offers a more robust sweetness. The main artificial sweeteners are also different: Diet Coke uses aspartame, while Coca-Cola Zero uses a combination of aspartame and acesulfame potassium to further enhance its sweetness.

Donald Trump's 'Diet Coke Button' installed in the White House Oval Office. Photo by Reuters Yonhap News

While Coca-Cola Zero enjoys overwhelming recognition in overseas markets including Korea, Diet Coke is notably more popular in the U.S. President Trump is such a devoted fan that he brought Diet Coke with him directly from the United States. According to The New York Times, President Trump drinks twelve Diet Cokes every day, and there is reportedly a 'red button' in the Oval Office that he can press whenever he wants a Diet Coke.

One of the Ancestors of Zero-Calorie Drinks... Born from Coca-Cola's Secret Project

Diet Coke is one of the world's first sugar-free soft drinks and is considered a forerunner of zero-calorie beverages. In the early 1980s, sugar-free sodas like 'Tab' were released in the U.S. for people with diabetes, but their market share remained low.

Diet Coke (left) and Coca-Cola Zero, Coca-Cola's sugar-free soft drink brands. Coca-Cola website

At that time, Coca-Cola secretly launched 'Project Harvard' with the goal of developing a soft drink that combined the unique taste of cola with low calories, and created Diet Coke, which replaced sugar's sweetness with aspartame. Diet Coke began mass production in 1982, making its debut in the U.S. market.

Coca-Cola also executed a shrewd marketing strategy for Diet Coke. Although the product name included the word 'diet,' they carefully avoided promoting it as a weight-loss drink. Instead, they focused on conveying the message that it is 'a regular cola with nearly zero calories.' Diet Coke's catchphrase, "Just for the taste of it," was part of this marketing strategy. As a result, Diet Coke became the third best-selling soft drink brand in the U.S. within just a few months of its launch.

Once a Cultural Icon, Now a Nostalgic Drink

For the American baby boomer generation (those born between the end of World War II and the 1960s), Diet Coke is seen as a cultural symbol. Not only President Trump, but also famous baby boomers like Elton John (born 1947), Whitney Houston (born 1963), and Warren Buffett (born 1930) are known to be Diet Coke enthusiasts. Coca-Cola Zero was launched in the U.S. in 2005, but Diet Coke's popularity has never faded.

The American culture magazine 'Just N Life' commented, "Diet Coke was the first brand to use actors, singers, and models for influencer marketing even before the rise of social networking services (SNS). In the U.S., Diet Coke was once at the center of a glamorous lifestyle, and today it evokes nostalgia for the bygone 1980s and 1990s."