<Tr> <Th> Color </Th> <Td> Caramel </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Variants </Th> <Td> Coke II </Td> </Tr> <P> New Coke was the unofficial name for the reformulation of Coca - Cola introduced in April 1985 by the Coca - Cola Company to replace the original formula of its flagship soft drink Coca - Cola (also called Coke). In 1992, it was named Coke II . </P> <P> By 1985, Coca - Cola had been losing market share to diet soft drinks and non-cola beverages for many years . Consumers who were purchasing regular colas seemed to prefer the sweeter taste of rival Pepsi - Cola, as Coca - Cola learned in conducting blind taste tests . However, the American public's reaction to the change was negative, even hostile, and the "New Coke" was considered a major failure . The company reintroduced Coke's original formula within three months of New Coke's debut, rebranded as "Coca - Cola Classic", and this resulted in a significant gain in sales . This led to speculation by some that the introduction of the New Coke formula was just a marketing ploy to stimulate sales of original Coca - Cola; however, the company has maintained that it was a genuine attempt to replace the original product . </P>

When did coke try to change their formula