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The Unconventional World of OK Soda
In the year 2023, the advertising landscape is filled with flashy and loud advertisements, all striving to be relatable to the consumer. However, back in 1993, OK Soda took a different approach to targeting the younger teen market. Instead of vibrant colors and quirky slogans, OK Soda embraced the offbeat, the odd, and general apathy. It positioned itself as a soda that wasn’t trying to be your friend or convince you to be cool by drinking it. It was simply a soda, and it was okay.
A Surreal Canvass
Coca-Cola, the company behind OK Soda, didn’t shy away from making everything about the soda as unconventional as possible. To give the cans a unique appeal, they enlisted celebrated alternative cartoonists Daniel Clowes and Charles Burns. The result was surreal, monotone comic characters and bleak, harsh backdrops. The cans were a far cry from the usual vibrant and attractive designs seen in the soda industry.
Neutral and Indifferent
The marketing slogans of OK Soda were carefully crafted to maintain a sense of neutrality and indifference. Instead of bombarding consumers with catchy and enthusiastic slogans, OK Soda took a different approach. Some of their slogans included thought-provoking phrases like “What’s the point of OK? Well, what’s the point of anything?” and “There is no real secret to feeling OK.” These slogans challenged the conventional optimism often seen in soda advertisements.
A Postmodernist Aesthetic
The commercials created for OK Soda also deviated from the usual upbeat and peppy tone. Instead, they embraced a more “postmodernist” aesthetic, aiming to reflect the cultural feelings of the targeted generation. The commercials traded the typical pep and optimism for a more thought-provoking and unconventional style. According to TIME magazine, even the official description of the drink by Coca-Cola likened it to “carbonated tree sap,” completely avoiding any hype or exaggerated claims.
An Uncertain Fate
While OK Soda’s approach to advertising was undoubtedly creative and unique, the self-imposed negativity and attempts to capture the cultural sentiment of a generation were not enough to keep the brand afloat. Despite its unconventional appeal, OK Soda ultimately did not find long-term success in the competitive soda market.
