Friday, March 31, 2006
Diet Mountain Dew Formula Change Petition
May 26, 2006
The End
I hate to break it to you, but the war is over, folks. With the first few months of sales of the new Diet Mountain Dew up 17% (in convenience stores) compared to the previous incarnation, it's clear that our voices are a whisper in gale force wind. We always knew we were in the minority, but it's hard to argue with sales. Sure, this could be a surge due to the novelty of the new formula, but the what's clear is that getting the old formula back is now almost certainly a lost cause.
Thanks so much to all of you who have been amazingly supportive and generous with your precious personal time throughout this campaign. Of particular note is Bo Williams at NewDietDewIsYucky.com. He's been a hugely active and good-humored ally in this battle, almost from day one. To all of you others who called and wrote letters to PepsiCo, emailed your friends, posted on message boards, and spread the word as much as you could, I thank you, as well.
It's been a wild ride. Several thousand people have visited this site since the beginning of March, and more than 2,000 have signed the petition. I've been interviewed on the radio and by the Wall Street Journal (which, I was supposed to keep hush hush until the article was published, but I don't think it'll be printed at this point). I've heard from hundreds of people from all around the country and was amazed that not only am I not the only Diet Dew fanatic out there, there are people light years beyond my level of devotion (not to mention levels of consumption!).
Since this site is actually part of my existing blog, I will leave the pages up indefinitely, but don't expect much in the way of Diet Mountain Dew updates in the future. If you'd like to read some of my non-Dew writings and tirades, check out my main blog at afterglide.com. Fair warning, I kept things pretty clean and tame on the Dew pages, but I have a bit of a potty mouth otherwise. *grin*
Try not to take it too hard. On the one hand, there's certainly much more to life than the taste of a carbonated soft drink. But if everyone rolled over and invariably gave up the moment someone took away one of our small pleasures in life, then we'd be living in a pretty gray world. It's been fun. It's been real. And now it's time to move on.
-Jeremy
May 15 -- Can we do it? I think so. As I type this, the number on the petition is sitting at 1,997. Today, coincidentally was my personal deadline for getting to 2,000. Now here's a goat scratcher--does it count if I removed several duplicates and inappropriate (or obviously fake) signatures over the last couple months (note the lines that say things like signature deleted, signature voided, etc)? I'm going to say for the purposes of the goal that it counts, but I am not going to send the petition to PepsiCo until we have at least 2,000 actual signatures. I'm going to give it until the end of the week at least.
--
May 10 -- Sorry it's been so long since I've posted. I was in California on vacation for nearly a week. I'm back, I'm refreshed, and I'm ready to keep fighting despite the fact that as of Sunday, I am completely caffeine free. Not a drop of caffeine (save that naturally occurring in chocolate!) since early Sunday morning when I had a mocha at a coffee shop in Sonora, CA.
I've received several emails asking what I will do once we hit 2,000 signatures. For starters, I should point out that my end goal is not 2,000 signatures. My goal was 2,000 signatures by May 15th. From there, obviously I hope it keeps growing! But once we hit 2,000, I will compose a letter to various big wigs and departments at PepsiCo and enclose a printout of all 2,000+ signatures. They are already aware of this website, but I want to make a statement.
Also, while I was gone, an anonymous conspiracy-minded kook left a comment railing against the contents of diet soda. Of all the dozens of comments below, only 3 or 4 have been of that nature. Word to the wise--comments on this site are moderated, and I will reject comments containing wackjob conspiracy theories about aspartame, splenda, BVO, etc. This is not a site about debating matters of junk science. It's about the flavor of a soft drink. Lighten up.
In other news, I turned 30 years old today. Happy birthday, me! *grin*
--
May 3 -- I've downed my final original formula Diet Mountain Dew (photo included).
--
May 2 -- The final countdown has arrived. I have a mere THREE original formula Diet Mountain Dews left in my possession. Given that I've decided to give up caffeine entirely if I can't have my Diet Dew, and I'm currently down to 2 cans a day (from 7 or 8), these three will last me through tomorrow, and that will be the end.
I knew this day would come. I even recently passed up on several opportunities to buy a few 12 packs of OFDMD. I'd rather just rip the bandage off instead of prolonging the pain.
Today I also noticed a crapload of hits coming to this page from Iowa State and some Iowa ISPs. Thanks to one of those visitors for letting me know what was going on. Turns out a professor at Iowa State mentioned the site in an email to his students.
--
April 25 -- DEWSPLOSION!! Oh, the humanity! This morning, as I went through my daily ritual of loading my Diet Mountain Dew cans into the fridge at work, one of them fell from my hands, hit the floor and EXPLODED. Precious original formula Diet Dew dripped from the walls, covered the fridge, splashed my pants, and soaked into the carpet. But I'm (not far) above getting down on my hands and knees to lap up the precious nectar from the carpet. I have some dignity left.
Incidentally, I'm down to 4 cans a day from my high of 7 or 8 cans. I plan to be decaffeinated entirely sometime next week. If I can't have my OFDMD, then I shan't drink any caffeine at all!
--
April 18 -- 1,700 signatures on the petition! Well ahead on momentum for meeting our goal of 2,000 signatures by May 15th.
As Bo Williams pointed out, PepsiCo isn't going to change its mind overnight and suddenly rerelease original formula Diet Mountain Dew to store shelves tomorrow. The pace of a huge company like that will be slow. Any decision to rerelease OFDMD would be preceded by countless phone conferences, memorandums, and meetings. We need to be realistic and measure in months rather than days or years.
I said I would give up caffeine because of this, and I'm staying true to my word. Believe it or not, I have actually passed up the opportunity to purchase quite a bit more old school Diet Dew as I think it's best just to barrel forward headfirst into kicking caffeine now rather than later. By the time I slowly cut back my intake to 0, my supply of DMD will be nearly depleted.
Now, now. Don't be sad. Don't look at this as me giving up. I'm simply preparing my body for what could be several months of Dewlessness. In the meantime, we need to keep on top of PepsiCo with calls, emails, and telegrams ("NEW DIET DEW SUCKS STOP BRING BACK THE OFDMD STOP").
--
April 14 -- Wow! We've blazed past 1600 signatures with me asleep at the wheel, so to speak. I went to bed last last night with 1590-some, and awoke to 1610 this morning. I need to take the day off from work and sleep in more often! That has nothing to do with the petition. I'm just saying. *grin*
--
April 12 -- I've been a bit remiss in making updates here lately. I'm busy with work, and spring has finally fully arrived in Minnesota. When you're stuck indoors for several months of winter, there's no screwing around. You get your butt outside as soon as the first hint of warm air wafts across your skin. This is the perfect time of year when the sun is shining, it's not too cool, it's not too warm or muggy, and the skeeters aren't out yet. It's too soon to mow the grass, but not too soon to verbally harrass the neighbor kids. It's spring. It's here. Get used to it.
--
April 9 -- As of this posting, 1,500 on the petition are imminent. Also, if you check the signature list, you might notice I turned on signature approval. I did this to prevent duplicate signatures instead of having to go in and clean them up afterward. I'll try to approve signatures a few times a day.
--
April 6 -- We have a celebrity (or blogebrity?) petition signer. I had emailed my favorite local writer, Diablo Cody, on an unrelated topic a few days ago and mentioned the Diet Dew thing in a P.S. She wrote back today expressing her love of DMD and stopped by to sign the petition.
Here's what Diablo wrote on her blog (slightly edited since this page gets younger readers than the rest of my site):
"I ----ing love people!"
I just shouted that at my computer screen.
Just as I'd lost faith in the Internet as a conduit for authentic human expression, I got a MySpace message--something quite simple, an appeal to sign a petition condemning PepsiCo for changing the taste of Diet Mountain Dew--that flooded my heart with love and optimism.
God bless you, Internet.
Stay the same.
April 5 -- A photo from my sad Diet Dew party.
April 4 -- Tonight, I've got new info on the effects of aspartame and the scoop on my radio interview about Diet Dew today.
--
April 3 -- If you're in listening range of KLPZ 1380 am out of Parker, AZ, I will be giving an on the air interview Tuesday or Wednesday morning. More details here.
Happy Monday, everyone! Or at least have a happy Monday as you can. I'm tired after losing an hour of my weekend to springing the clock ahead. But a can of my old friend original formula Diet Mountain Dew sure is helping. Cold, crisp, clean. Diet Mountain Dew. Drink some, won't you? If PepsiCo pulls its head back into the sunshine and gives us back our OFDMD, I should work out a spokesperson deal with them. A mellifluous voice like this doesn't come along but once a generation. I'm the James Earl Jones of the Diet Mountain Dew movement.
For those that stopped by on Saturday, again I feel equal parts smugness and guilt over the little April Fools prank I played. I had you going, didn't I? I promise no more practical jokes. But it was April 1st, so how could I resist. *grin*
I may be giving a radio interview about the Diet Mountain Dew movement this week. I was sent an email Friday from someone with a radio station in Arizona. I sent them my info but haven't heard anything back yet. Perhaps someone was playing their own April Fools joke. If so, it was pretty convincing! In any case, I'll be certain to post more info if we get it scheduled.
The End
I hate to break it to you, but the war is over, folks. With the first few months of sales of the new Diet Mountain Dew up 17% (in convenience stores) compared to the previous incarnation, it's clear that our voices are a whisper in gale force wind. We always knew we were in the minority, but it's hard to argue with sales. Sure, this could be a surge due to the novelty of the new formula, but the what's clear is that getting the old formula back is now almost certainly a lost cause.
Thanks so much to all of you who have been amazingly supportive and generous with your precious personal time throughout this campaign. Of particular note is Bo Williams at NewDietDewIsYucky.com. He's been a hugely active and good-humored ally in this battle, almost from day one. To all of you others who called and wrote letters to PepsiCo, emailed your friends, posted on message boards, and spread the word as much as you could, I thank you, as well.
It's been a wild ride. Several thousand people have visited this site since the beginning of March, and more than 2,000 have signed the petition. I've been interviewed on the radio and by the Wall Street Journal (which, I was supposed to keep hush hush until the article was published, but I don't think it'll be printed at this point). I've heard from hundreds of people from all around the country and was amazed that not only am I not the only Diet Dew fanatic out there, there are people light years beyond my level of devotion (not to mention levels of consumption!).
Since this site is actually part of my existing blog, I will leave the pages up indefinitely, but don't expect much in the way of Diet Mountain Dew updates in the future. If you'd like to read some of my non-Dew writings and tirades, check out my main blog at afterglide.com. Fair warning, I kept things pretty clean and tame on the Dew pages, but I have a bit of a potty mouth otherwise. *grin*
Try not to take it too hard. On the one hand, there's certainly much more to life than the taste of a carbonated soft drink. But if everyone rolled over and invariably gave up the moment someone took away one of our small pleasures in life, then we'd be living in a pretty gray world. It's been fun. It's been real. And now it's time to move on.
-Jeremy
Diet Mountain Dew Survey by SurveyCrazy.com
(see survey results)
Fight For Flavor FAQ (the problem and the solution)
Archive of previous postings
PepsiCo Phone In II: "The Deuce"
Attention all original formula Diet Mountain Dew fans! Feeling disenfranchised by PepsiCo's decision to not only change the formula, but take the beloved old formula off the market completely? Now is your chance to tell PepsiCo how you feel.
Call PepsiCo Consumer Relations on Monday, May 22: 1-800-433-2652
Be sure to check out Bo Williams' tips for calling.
Attention all original formula Diet Mountain Dew fans! Feeling disenfranchised by PepsiCo's decision to not only change the formula, but take the beloved old formula off the market completely? Now is your chance to tell PepsiCo how you feel.
Call PepsiCo Consumer Relations on Monday, May 22: 1-800-433-2652
Be sure to check out Bo Williams' tips for calling.
May 15 -- Can we do it? I think so. As I type this, the number on the petition is sitting at 1,997. Today, coincidentally was my personal deadline for getting to 2,000. Now here's a goat scratcher--does it count if I removed several duplicates and inappropriate (or obviously fake) signatures over the last couple months (note the lines that say things like signature deleted, signature voided, etc)? I'm going to say for the purposes of the goal that it counts, but I am not going to send the petition to PepsiCo until we have at least 2,000 actual signatures. I'm going to give it until the end of the week at least.
--
May 10 -- Sorry it's been so long since I've posted. I was in California on vacation for nearly a week. I'm back, I'm refreshed, and I'm ready to keep fighting despite the fact that as of Sunday, I am completely caffeine free. Not a drop of caffeine (save that naturally occurring in chocolate!) since early Sunday morning when I had a mocha at a coffee shop in Sonora, CA.
I've received several emails asking what I will do once we hit 2,000 signatures. For starters, I should point out that my end goal is not 2,000 signatures. My goal was 2,000 signatures by May 15th. From there, obviously I hope it keeps growing! But once we hit 2,000, I will compose a letter to various big wigs and departments at PepsiCo and enclose a printout of all 2,000+ signatures. They are already aware of this website, but I want to make a statement.
Also, while I was gone, an anonymous conspiracy-minded kook left a comment railing against the contents of diet soda. Of all the dozens of comments below, only 3 or 4 have been of that nature. Word to the wise--comments on this site are moderated, and I will reject comments containing wackjob conspiracy theories about aspartame, splenda, BVO, etc. This is not a site about debating matters of junk science. It's about the flavor of a soft drink. Lighten up.
In other news, I turned 30 years old today. Happy birthday, me! *grin*
--
May 3 -- I've downed my final original formula Diet Mountain Dew (photo included).
--
May 2 -- The final countdown has arrived. I have a mere THREE original formula Diet Mountain Dews left in my possession. Given that I've decided to give up caffeine entirely if I can't have my Diet Dew, and I'm currently down to 2 cans a day (from 7 or 8), these three will last me through tomorrow, and that will be the end.
I knew this day would come. I even recently passed up on several opportunities to buy a few 12 packs of OFDMD. I'd rather just rip the bandage off instead of prolonging the pain.
Today I also noticed a crapload of hits coming to this page from Iowa State and some Iowa ISPs. Thanks to one of those visitors for letting me know what was going on. Turns out a professor at Iowa State mentioned the site in an email to his students.
--
April 25 -- DEWSPLOSION!! Oh, the humanity! This morning, as I went through my daily ritual of loading my Diet Mountain Dew cans into the fridge at work, one of them fell from my hands, hit the floor and EXPLODED. Precious original formula Diet Dew dripped from the walls, covered the fridge, splashed my pants, and soaked into the carpet. But I'm (not far) above getting down on my hands and knees to lap up the precious nectar from the carpet. I have some dignity left.
Incidentally, I'm down to 4 cans a day from my high of 7 or 8 cans. I plan to be decaffeinated entirely sometime next week. If I can't have my OFDMD, then I shan't drink any caffeine at all!
--
April 18 -- 1,700 signatures on the petition! Well ahead on momentum for meeting our goal of 2,000 signatures by May 15th.
As Bo Williams pointed out, PepsiCo isn't going to change its mind overnight and suddenly rerelease original formula Diet Mountain Dew to store shelves tomorrow. The pace of a huge company like that will be slow. Any decision to rerelease OFDMD would be preceded by countless phone conferences, memorandums, and meetings. We need to be realistic and measure in months rather than days or years.
I said I would give up caffeine because of this, and I'm staying true to my word. Believe it or not, I have actually passed up the opportunity to purchase quite a bit more old school Diet Dew as I think it's best just to barrel forward headfirst into kicking caffeine now rather than later. By the time I slowly cut back my intake to 0, my supply of DMD will be nearly depleted.
Now, now. Don't be sad. Don't look at this as me giving up. I'm simply preparing my body for what could be several months of Dewlessness. In the meantime, we need to keep on top of PepsiCo with calls, emails, and telegrams ("NEW DIET DEW SUCKS STOP BRING BACK THE OFDMD STOP").
--
April 14 -- Wow! We've blazed past 1600 signatures with me asleep at the wheel, so to speak. I went to bed last last night with 1590-some, and awoke to 1610 this morning. I need to take the day off from work and sleep in more often! That has nothing to do with the petition. I'm just saying. *grin*
--
April 12 -- I've been a bit remiss in making updates here lately. I'm busy with work, and spring has finally fully arrived in Minnesota. When you're stuck indoors for several months of winter, there's no screwing around. You get your butt outside as soon as the first hint of warm air wafts across your skin. This is the perfect time of year when the sun is shining, it's not too cool, it's not too warm or muggy, and the skeeters aren't out yet. It's too soon to mow the grass, but not too soon to verbally harrass the neighbor kids. It's spring. It's here. Get used to it.
--
April 9 -- As of this posting, 1,500 on the petition are imminent. Also, if you check the signature list, you might notice I turned on signature approval. I did this to prevent duplicate signatures instead of having to go in and clean them up afterward. I'll try to approve signatures a few times a day.
--
April 6 -- We have a celebrity (or blogebrity?) petition signer. I had emailed my favorite local writer, Diablo Cody, on an unrelated topic a few days ago and mentioned the Diet Dew thing in a P.S. She wrote back today expressing her love of DMD and stopped by to sign the petition.
Here's what Diablo wrote on her blog (slightly edited since this page gets younger readers than the rest of my site):
"I ----ing love people!"
I just shouted that at my computer screen.
Just as I'd lost faith in the Internet as a conduit for authentic human expression, I got a MySpace message--something quite simple, an appeal to sign a petition condemning PepsiCo for changing the taste of Diet Mountain Dew--that flooded my heart with love and optimism.
God bless you, Internet.
Stay the same.
April 5 -- A photo from my sad Diet Dew party.
April 4 -- Tonight, I've got new info on the effects of aspartame and the scoop on my radio interview about Diet Dew today.
--
April 3 -- If you're in listening range of KLPZ 1380 am out of Parker, AZ, I will be giving an on the air interview Tuesday or Wednesday morning. More details here.
Happy Monday, everyone! Or at least have a happy Monday as you can. I'm tired after losing an hour of my weekend to springing the clock ahead. But a can of my old friend original formula Diet Mountain Dew sure is helping. Cold, crisp, clean. Diet Mountain Dew. Drink some, won't you? If PepsiCo pulls its head back into the sunshine and gives us back our OFDMD, I should work out a spokesperson deal with them. A mellifluous voice like this doesn't come along but once a generation. I'm the James Earl Jones of the Diet Mountain Dew movement.
For those that stopped by on Saturday, again I feel equal parts smugness and guilt over the little April Fools prank I played. I had you going, didn't I? I promise no more practical jokes. But it was April 1st, so how could I resist. *grin*
I may be giving a radio interview about the Diet Mountain Dew movement this week. I was sent an email Friday from someone with a radio station in Arizona. I sent them my info but haven't heard anything back yet. Perhaps someone was playing their own April Fools joke. If so, it was pretty convincing! In any case, I'll be certain to post more info if we get it scheduled.
Yeah.. definately don't like the new flavor. Its got a kinda salty aftertaste. Diet dew was one of the best thirst releiving diet soft drinks out there and now it makes you MORE thirsty after you drink it than before!
Thanks for creating this petition. I live in Nashville, Tennessee and I also called the hotline the other day. The operator was also courteous and said she would pass on my comments to the marketing team.
Diet Dew is all I have been drinking other than water for years now.
The new "Tuned up taste" reminds me of the vinyl smell of a freshly opened shower curtain. To me, it's not a bad after-taste, it's more of a during-taste... :(
Pepsi - come on... change it back.
I too have been drinking Diet Dew and only Diet Dew for many years now and I have never been more upset with the MD company more than I am now. I fully support your petition to get rid of the horrible "tuned up taste".
Bring back the old dew!! When you call the 800 number, encourage them to start a poll on their own web site.
Pepsi should realize, if you want a new product, come up with a new name. We have been drinking diet dew for 10-15 years now. Don't TUNE UP THE TASTE for us. We wouldn't have been drinking it. Sorry, you guys lost me, I bought a case of my second favorite, plain Diet Coke.
Oh noooooo. Don't they know what happened to Coke when they messed around with the flavor?
Tillerman, I agree completely and you are not the first I've heard make reference to the New Coke fiasco in this discussion. For those too young or those who never paid attention, in the 80's, Coke briefly changed their formula, introducing "New Coke". They conducted taste test panels, which all pointed to the same conclusion: the new formula tastes better. However, they did not take into account the rabid loyalty of longtime drinkers of the original formula for Coke. Public uproar was immediate and widespread. The company very soon relented and introduced "classic" Coke, a version with the original flavor. Eventually New Coke faded into the abyss as a footnote in history.
I'm sorely hoping that is what happens with the Tuned Up Taste version of Diet Mountain Dew. I don't think PepsiCo took into account the rabid loyalty of longtime drinkers of Diet Dew. We drink Diet Dew because we LIKE how it tastes! It now tastes like regular Mountain Dew, which is a soft drink I do not care for in the least. It is sugary, syrupy, and too sweet. In a word: awful.
I'm stocking up on as much of the OLD stuff as I can afford!!
Are there any of us in NY?? I say that the "Tuned Up" Dew is Blitzing NY City, ending with something at Times Square! We need a Sign, or Big Banner stating our feelings (With out being Vulgar) about the Forumla Change!
- Ken
vikingkenfl@yahoo.com
AWESOME!! I'm Loving it!
I'm doing everything I can to get this changed back!!
Do we have any Anti"Tuned Up for Taste" Memebers in NY City? I know that Pespi is planning a Blitz of the "New" Dew ending up in Times Square on Wednesday the 9th I think. We need to get some Signs/Banners to support our cause! Maybe something with the webpage link or Complaint #!!
- Ken
vikingkenfl@yahoo.com
Emailed PepsiCo and expressed my dissatisfaction over this awful "Tuned-up Taste."
Got a form email back promising to "share (my) thoughts with the appropriate individuals."
Nice.
Why in the world would PepsiCo choose to change the formulation and taste of Diet Mountain Dew -- an established and well-liked product that has always clearly sold well?
Why would they CHOOSE to alter the taste of a long-standing, branded product that has a rabid following, a cult of paying consumers that buy the product because of its ideal, perfect taste? Why would they do this? I really would like to understand PepsiCo's motivation and reasoning.
The new taste is offensive as can be, isn't it? I can't imagine how it got past any kind of taste-testing. I keep thinking this is some kind of mistake, maybe it's a formulation that can't handle temperature changes. Or shipping. Or has an incredibly short shelf life before it goes bad.
Just so hard to believe they'd sabotage such a gold mine.
After careful review of this issue and, of course, a blind taste test, involving old/new dew with a few people, we agree the new taste is not as good as the old taste.
As they say, if it ain't broke, don't fix it, so it seems the marketing guru's at PepsiCo may have erred on this.
openlineblog.com
Caffeine free Diet Dew is the only thing that I drink. They have totally screwed up a winning product. If I wanted something that tasted like the regular Dew, that's what I'd be drinking.
I bought 2-12 packs late one night so I would have my DMD fix for the next morning (we all know that 1st one of the day is amazing). I had one can and thought my taste buds were messed up. I took one out of the 2nd pack and same thing. OK, maybe it's a lot number so I drive to a completely different store and same thing. That's when I notice "Tuned Up Taste" on the can. I panicked and searched the internet for what had happened to my best friend. I have now been running around to various stores looking for my next fix like a junkie. I am up to 34-12 packs and counting. I even had local store check to see if they can get "old formula" and agreed to buy how ever many they can get. If I weren't so addicted, I wouldn't give PepsiCo another cent. PepsiCo - After 15 yrs. of 6 cans/day I'm begging you to change it back!
I just created a survey out at surveycrazy.com thought this would give some more bang for the $$...
Its free why not.
http://www.surveycrazy.com/index.cfm?method=user.initSurvey&survey_id=5
Apparently it wasn't urine, it was the new diet dew they were tasting!
http://www.local6.com/news/4970233/detail.html
I was in line at a store and opened a bottle from the cooler and told my friend that I thought I got an Old DMD and then it happened again. I then realized that it was changed. I have also been stockpiling the old stuff. I have more in my car than they have in the stores. Luckily they aren't real good at rotating stock. The new stuff tastes flat and too sweet.
Sorry that you guys don't like it, but I'm enjoying the new version. It actually tastes like real Mountain Dew, but without all of the calories, which is the only reason why many people seek out diet alternatives in the first place.
I don't want them to change it back, but if they have enough feedback and reason to make it worthwhile, perhaps they'll find a way to rename one and produce both.
OK Well If it tastes so much like real dew why don't they call it mt dew and leave the diet dew in peace.
Yeah. I'm right there with the rest of you.
I started drinking diet about 17 years ago when I became diabetic.
Not much else out there quite like the diet dew. new slogan
"NEW DEW....SO EEWWW" or
"DEW you wan'no, dew guano"
I have been a diet dew freak for years, I drink a 12 pk every couple days. I have not found the new dew yet apparently. But thanks for bringing it to my attention. I think I had a single the other day that tasted off. But that happens every now and then, so I thought nothing of it.
So you have my support to restore the diet dew!
THANK YOU! I thought I was all alone in this struggle. But now I have found my DMD soulmates. THANK YOU THANK YOU!!! Long live DMD "Classic"!!
This is a Call to ARMS, sort of.
In Honor of St. Patricks Day, The Wearing o' the Green. I'd like EVERYONE to call, Email whatever PepsiCo & complain about the "Tuned Up for Taste" Diet Mountain Dew!! It is Green after all!
Let's Flood the Phone Lines
Complain to PepsiCo: 1-800-433-2652
Call between 9 am to 6pm EST
or if you can't call Email
http://www.mountaindew.com/help/help.php
Let's Slam them like Green Beer!!
http://fightforflavor.com
Let's be heard LOUDLY TODAY!!
- Ken
The New Diet Dew is awful. Can't stand it. Got a reply from PepsiCo via email however (I'm guessing it's rather stock and everyone gets the same thing). Not only do they apparently think we all want a sweeter tasting drink but, "We never would have gone
ahead without checking in with our biggest fans first." Well that's brilliant, cause the biggest fans who drink a few 24 packs PER WEEK all hate the shit.
I must say, I agree with your theory on the lack of carbonation.
I thought my tastebuds had just been horribly tainted after tasting the New Dew. However I just realized the problem. All the Old Dew I've had has been expiration dates prior to 5/15/06. Yet today I went to open up a cold and refreshing Diet Dew and found that it tasted a tad off. Not bad in the "oh my god, what'd they do to my Dew?" bad, but just off.
I looked at the expiration date - May 15, 2006.
Not again!! Please!! It may be dating myself, but this reminds me of Fresca--also a diet soda-- which I drank exclusively until the bottler replaced the grapefruit flavor with what seemed to be contaminated salt water.
I sent them this feedback:
Why, Why, why did you screw up Diet Dew?
Please bring back the old formula. The new stuff tastes like metal.
Please let me know if the caffeine free formula has been changed. I would consider switching to that if it isn't as vile as the new diet dew.
I used to drink more than 3 fridge packs a week. Now I won't be drinking any.
I never drank it because it was a diet version of the sugar stuff, I drank it because of the taste. I hate the sick sweet tase of the sugar stuff.
I suppose there is a bright side, I will have an easier time shopping. I have many times gone to multiple grocery stores to purchase enough diet dew because there was never enough in stock. Since I won't be buying it anymore, I won't need to go as many places as I used to.
I guess I'll switch to Diet Dr. Pepper.
The "Tuned Up Taste" DMD tastes has a bad aftertaste and during taste. It has lost it's cool, clean, crisp, refreshing taste.
I used to guzzle it down and loved it; now I can't even finish a can.
I unknowingly purchased the product and thought I had bought some that had gone bad. Today I will return the cases and bottles that I bought.
Don't throw your "Tuned Up Taste" away. Return it!!! I'm even returning the open case.
The other option is to hand them out and when people taste it, let them sign the petition. I did that yesterday. Works like a charm.
One last note--I went to buy a T-shirt. Why does it say nothing about Diet Mountain Dew on it. I'm not sure people will get the message, unless they think to ask. Just wondering.
BRING BACK "CLASSIC" Diet Mtn Dew!!
I'm a regular Diet Dew Addict. The new tuneup Dew is quite different in flavor from the old school version. I understand the idea of getting new people interested in Diet, but the people who drink DMD regularly, like myself, buy so much of it that our business is worth keeping.
DMD used to be not excessively sweet, with a mild flavor overall. The new tuneup dew is strangely similar to 7up or orange crush. I spoke with a very courteous lady on the telephone, and mentioned the possibility of establishing a new diet dew version - diet dew old school or diet dew classic.
I am baffled by these people when they tell me they would not have changed the taste or flavor of Diet Mountain Dew, without 1st trying it out with their most loyal customers. Hmmm, does this not send out a signal that perhaps they should be checking to see who their loyal customers were. I think perhaps they missed the boat completely, and asked only their "in house-minions" and yes-men what they thought.
I will never show such loyalty to any product again. They have taken the "nectar of the Gods" and changed it to the "skunk water" of the midwest.
I complained on their Web site, and I received this reply, for your edification. Thanks for fighting the good fight, hopefully we can get back our precious nectar of life.
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Thank you for taking the time to contact us here at Pepsi-Cola Company about the reformulated Diet Mountain Dew.
We've updated the sweetener system in the new Dew to include a blend of the best no-calorie sweeteners on the market: aspartame, sucralose (Splenda) and acesulfame potassium (Ace-K). We tested the new formula with thousands of Diet Dew fans to see what they thought of it and they loved the flavor and its new sweetener system. We never would have gone ahead without checking in with our biggest fans first.
Nonetheless, we're truly sorry to learn that the new version did not appeal to you. We appreciate your support over the years and we sincerely regret your disappointment.
Please be assured that consumer feedback is important to us. Therefore, I promise to share your thoughts with the appropriate individuals within the brand group as well as our senior management.
Again, thank you for sharing your comments with us.
Artie Dallas
Consumer Relations Specialist
adallas@lizmail.com
For many years now my only soft drink has been diet mountain dew. Today I had my first can of Tuned up Taste and immediately noticed the difference. It is awful!!! My son had told me his caffeine free DMD didn't taste right anymore and I couldn't understand why. Now I know. I guess we'll be
looking for something new to drink - maybe water (unless they find a way to change the taste of that too!!
-Unhappy in KY
Why would they try to "tune up" a good thing? I believe it should say "messed up"
--Thirsty in Kentucky
Just when I thought there was no hope for this planet - I found your website. Thank God the power of protest is still alive and well. I agree with you all 100%. The new stuff is terrible. I have switched to Diet Dr. Pepper. If you decide have an organized rally, post the details and I will attend.
Chris K.
Syracuse, NY
This is not the first drink that Pepsi "messed up". They did the same thing with Pepsi One...I have stopped drinking Pepsi One.
Keep calling to express your view
Wow, I drink four 20 oz bottles a day. I had noticed a change and even thought I had gotten the wrong bottle in the store but it said "diet" on it. It was sweeter. It's okay with me that it taste like the regular Dew but I have noticed that I'm still thirsty. I can't afford to buy more 20 oz bottles than I do now.
Hi, my name is Suzanne, and I am a dt dew addict. No scratch that I was a dt dew addict. For about 12-13 years now I have consistantly drank no less than a 6pack a day. On my "bad" days it would exceed a 12 pack easily. With this change comes sadness, I will now be a recovering dt dew addict. It also brings a slight good. The only good that could come of this is the money that I will save by not drinking the new stuff. It will be a significant amount, maybe in a year or so I will have a good downpayment for a car or something...
Ugh, I tried TUTDMD today.....they tuned it up into Monkey Piss! It's really gross, has a bad aftertaste and makes me want to vomit up my intestines. Pepsi Co has finally created a drink that will make you LOSE weight by drinking it....due in part to the fact that you want to vomit up everything you've eaten the past 17 hours before drinking this swill!
The first time I tasted it ,I thought I had a stale bottle and I returned it to the store I bought it from. I really don't like it at all.I am looking to buy the old ones everywhere I go. They should go back to the original taste.
Notice, please notice, that the "new" version now has Sucralose, AKA "Splenda"???? That may be what is making people sick? That is what I think. I am still a DMD sddict but not for much longer now that I realize that my favorite drink is making me sick and tasting bad. I knew there was something different about it AND I know when I use Spenda packets (not Equal but Splenda) that I get sick. Put it all together and read what people wrote.
Sad things is - Mountain Dew may have a contract with Splenda so they mat never get rid of it or go back to the old taste. Guess I have to drink something healthy now...
I have been drinking Diet Mt. Dew since it came to Iowa in 1988. I am now wondering what I am going to drink. The new tuned up taste, taste like a bad version of a diet soda.
What is wrong with Pepsico! I cannot understand a company that completely disregards loyal customers! I hate this new tuned up taste and i have tried it more than once hoping that maybe my tastebuds would adjust but to no avail! "Screwed Up Taste" is right! Everyone should check out the link with the t-shirts. I have been a loyal drinker for 20 years I guess Diet Coke will now get my business once again however reluctant.
Do you realize that Coke came out with Vault shortly before the release of the new NOT improved Diet Mountain Dew? They are eerily similar but Diet Mountain Dew now is MUCH worse than Vault even (and I didn't think that was possible)! I have signed your petition (which I found simply by typing Diet Mountain Dew into Google)! I was going to contact Pepsico anyways but you've made this SO much easier! Thank you! Lets all hope and pray the old formula is restored SOON for there is no other alternative as far as I'm concerned!!
Did we not learn anything from coke 20 years ago? I made to comment to a friend the other day that the "classic" still remains years later.
The new taste to me best described as diet antifreeze. Anyone else think the following is odd?
They changed the packaging several months ago and went out of their way to put "same dew new view" on it too bad it doubled my checkout time the label wouldnt scan. also on the offical mt dew site there isnt any mention of them messing with it. I dont have want or need flash so am unable to check out the offical dt dew site.
Im hording what I can to keep the caffiene withdrawl headache at bay while I break the habit.
Well, its official. I can no longer find the "old" formula DMD in my area. I'm now drinking Big K Diet Citrus Drop from my local Kroger supermarket. It tastes close to the old DMD, at least close enuff for me to drink it. Even if PepsiCo brings back the old dew, I'm done with them. I'm boycotting their products for life. they betrayed me as a consumer so they'll not get my money from now on. bite me pepsiCo! :p
some dude is selling it by the 12 pack on ebay.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Diet-Mountain-Dew-Mt-Dew-Original-Formula-Not-Tuned-UP_W0QQitemZ4455196958QQcategoryZ79631QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
I didn't realize how many other addicts to Diet Dew were out there. Our family has been thrown into a tailspin by the change. It was all that we drank. Now we're trying other things...my son is even drinking milk again! I guess I should thank PepsiCo for that! We can get Diet SunDrop in our area. It is the only thing that I've found that doesn't have the sweet aftertaste! I hate having to switch, but I don't like the way Diet Dew has treated loyal customers.
I'm down to 46 cans of original Diet Dew. I've called and e-mailed Pepsi, signed the petition and am starting on the next four stages of grief.
Finally, I jumped onto the Coke website and submitted an idea for them to re-create the original DMD forumla, call it what they want, release it soon and watch as former loyal Pepsi fans jump ship to Coke. I'd do it in a heart-beat!
Life without DMD who knew it existed?
Desperate Dew Addict
I have been boycotting all PepsiCo products since I found out Dew has changed. As one of the people who signed the petition noted, PepsiCo has a lot of products that we use every day that we might not associate with PepsiCo. A coupole of these are Quaker Oats and Gatorade. I think we should make up a list for easy reference for those who which to steer away from PepsiCo products. Jeremy, could we do that and put it on your site--maybe with a easy to find link.
As I read people's posts, I begin to wonder what it will be like when I finally get to my last "classic" Diet Mtn. Dew. I was almost there once and I just couldn't do it. I had to go out and hunt through store shelves looking for my "classic" Dew.
Where before I would look for the freshest Dew, now I was looking for old, even expired dates. One store didn't want to sell expired soda to me. It was two weeks past the expired date. They said I might get sick from it. I had to laugh. The "classic" Dew wasn't the drink making me sick. It was the new "Tuned Up Taste" Dew, which they would readily sell me, that makes me sick (literally).
Anyway, I digress. I sit here pondering what it will be like when I drink my final "Classic" Dew. It is like the death of an old friend. You can only remember the good taste, you can't relive it, except in your mind. It's a sad thought.
Here is some research from Beverage Digest, a trade publication for the beverage industry - in at least 2004 and 2005, DMD enjoyed strong sales growth, unlike most of the carbonated soft drink market. Pepsico had 5 brands in the top 10 for 2005 - Pepsi down 3.2%, Diet Pepsi down 1.9%, MD up 1.8%, Sierra Mist up 1.2%, and DMD up 7.9%, up to 140.5 million cases, putting it into a 10th place tie for most popular brands with Sierra Mist. DMD had grown 15% in 2004. So, if sales go down because of the formula switch, hopefully the Pepsico bean counters will start yelling bloddy murder.
Purpguy, that's interesting stuff. Thanks for posting the info. I've been very curious to know some sales statistics for OFDMD. The fact that DMD sales were already on the rise, makes this all the more puzzling. My admittedly uneducated prediction is that sales will actually increase slightly for Tuned Up Tasted Diet Mountain Dew, but not enough to justify the multiple millions of dollars they spent on research and marketing for the new formula. I would love to see them find it's going to take them many years longer than they thought to make that money back. Want an easy sales bump, Pepsi? Bring back the original formula as a side product. You have the formula, just a little packaging tweakage, a nifty name (hey, I already threw Diet Mountain Dew Subzero onto the table), a press release, and BLAM. A few of us diehards will spread the word like wildfire with barely a penny spent on advertising.
On a side note, today I'm going to attempt dropping my OFDMD intake to 3 cans. I have less than two 12-packs left and plan to be Dew and caffeine free, probably by this time next week. Wish me luck.
Does anyone know if the fountain diet dew will change as well? I put diet dew on tap at my house and I was wondering why it's so delicious compared to the stuff at the store... I think the tuned up formula sucks. The solution is for everyone should put diet dew on tap!!
As I was walking out of the store today and glanced sadly at the cube mountain of the new DMD, I noticed one lonely case right on top. YES, I found one cube of OFDMD. I am going to guzzle it this weekend for the last time.
Then its on to Vault 0, Diet Coke with Lime, and Diet Doctor Pepper. I haven't given up, I'll call on the 22nd. I'm thinking of purchasing some Pepsi stock and having my say as a stockholder. I wonder what the share price is?
Just think, if all of us owned Pepsi stock we'd at least have a ligitimate vote in the company.
Like other dedicated Dewers, I too was shocked, horrified, sickened, depressed and disgusted by the suddenly-revised Diet Dew flavor.
I immediately wrote Pepsi and searched for websites related to the change.
Then an odd thing happened. I found if I chilled the new flavor almost to the point of freezing, I was able to tolerate the taste. After 48 hours of regular consumption, I was no longer repulsed by the flavor, though I could still tell it was different. If the can wasn't super-chilled, then the new flavor was more noticable and almost undrinkable.
I recently discovered a 12-pack of original flavor I had forgotten about. When comparing original versus "tuned-up", I realized, for me, both flavors are gross. Original tastes like kerosene; tuned-up is so disgustingly sweet it's almost chewy.
I don't know, but maybe my adaptation to the revised flavor is because I'm also a smoker with my taste-buds desensitized as a result?
I support 110% the petition and efforts to get Pepsi to respond to loyal customers. I understand and empathize with those for whom the new taste is so hideous, that the sad day has come where they can no longer drink Diet Dew.
I'm inspired by this website and others which bring Dewologists together; I previously thought I was the only person on earth who drank Diet Dew.
Pinkytoe said he drank some Original flavor Diet Mountain Dew he had for 'forgotten' about and that it tasted like kerosene. Well, if it has spoiled (way past the expiration date), it will not taste good. No soda will. So, my question to Pinkytoe is 'just how old and forgotten was the Original Dew'?
The issue to me is that the "Tuned Up Taste" tastes as if it has already gone bad (previous to expiration date and always!).
On another note, I called in today. They are still extemely polite at the PepsiCo customer service desk. Actually, they were nicer today than they had been right after the switch. Once again they offered me a 'freebie' to try out another soda.
I will take the freebie's, but no more PepsiCo for me until I get my Diet Mtn. Dew back. No Gatorade, no Sun chips, no Frito Lay, to Snapple, no Aquafina, no Quaker Oatmeal, no Frio-Lay products of any kind.....
I've got the "Tuned Up Taste" blues......
Give me that Same Dew, New View" DMD!
I just found this site today after doing some searching wondering when Mt. Dew would finally use Splenda instead of NutraSweet. The NutraSweet (asptertame) sweetner made it taste nasty, and after having done work for both Searle and NutraSweet, there is no way I would ever consider ingesting astpertame. I'll dip snuff for years before I consider imbibing aspertame again.
Well, I find all of these sites claiming they are now using generic Splenda, so I go to my local gas station and read a bottle. Nope. Still says asptertame on the bottle.
When, oh when, will the Splenda version be available???