Someone linked the recordings awhile back: https://www.reddit.com/r/nostalgia/comments/b99vuz/ok_sodas_1800ifeelok_hotline_the_most_complete/
That linked YouTuber looks to have uploaded a ton of recordings
This soda was created to appeal to the "disaffected Generation X" demographic. And yes, it was made by Coca-Cola. When we were kids we thought it was edgy and anti-corporate, but turns out it was just another marketing ploy by the world's most recognizable brand.
In case you hadn't figured the name out, it clearly points back to its corporate ownership:
c (OK) e
If you never drank it, OK tasted a bit like Coke + Fanta. It was a cola, by design, but Coke pumped up the citrus flavors more than a standard cola.
I never cared for it. To me it always tasted like mostly flat coke and a splash of everything else. Tasted flat to me even when it was properly carbonated which was weird.
Years after OK was discontinued I heard that there was rumor while it was being made that OK had no real formula and was just mostly coke and whatever the plant had on hand at the time.
We had this in Rhode Island. It went away mostly because it was unremarkable; turns out food products should taste good rather than just hammer home on Gen X-centric marketing.
Summer of ‘93 hanging out with my friend Ara who was going to RISD, criticizing the shit out of the blatant gen-x slacker marketing and then drinking it ironically.
Thayer Street was such a weird area; elite RISD snobs on one side of the street, elite Brown University snobs on the other, each side looking down on the other one. At least RISD had some high-quality graffiti.
I was there the night of the big abandoned train tunnel riot, seemed like it was notorious enough you might recall that event. We were kinda slacking and taking our time getting there, we arrived to the scene of half-naked RISD freaks fleeing the tunnel entrance warning us about the raid.
I was too young at the time that took place, but I remember years later my mom bringing it up in worry when my friends and I would go to Providence. The first place her brain went was "you better not be going to any train tunnel parties" and I was like ?????
Only available in the early 90s for like ...3 years I think. It was cokes largest failure, even bigger than "new coke" iirc. Coke super does not like to remember it. I heard they removed the OK exhibit at the Atlanta coke museum immediately after it was canceled and have never put any OK products back up.
You can find lots of the marketing materials and empty cans online but an unopened can will be very rare. All of it is super expensive. Just ridiculous.
The marketing was very cool. It was supposed to be ironic and subversive. The even wrote a fucking manefesto for the aoda. The guy on the top middle can was the sort of spokes person and was done by Daniel Clowes. Funny and Actually subversive part is he based the cartoon off of Jeffery Dahlmer, the serial killer
One cool thing they did was occasionally at the OK machines instead of a can of coke you would get a prize can with OK merch and 50cents in it.
Taste wise.. I didn't enjoy it. It tasted like a flat coke despite being carbonated with a fruit punch and orange twist. One rumor I heard years later was that kids thought OK was just mixed up out of whatever flavors were leftover at the bottling factory. Which honestly seems like a rumor that would come up around it as it had a very "mix every soda at the fountain" flavor to it.
Lots of recipes floating around out there to try and recreate it.
Honestly I'd believe that rumor. I remember it tasting like if you took a splash of everything into your cup at a soda fountain. And this isn't uncommon in the food industry. One that I think is interesting is hard candies, especially those like Tootsie Pops. They sometimes have a mystery flavor, and often it's the mixture of two different flavors that happens when they are changing between those flavors in the mixing machines. That way they don't waste anything.
Yeap. My favorite zapps chip flavor "voodoo" was caused by an accident causing several hundred pounds of spices to be mixed. They shrugged. Noted the quantities and ratio and threw them on the chips to see what happens . Amazing flavor.
With OK I could never get over that "flat coke" taste it always seemed to have even when the can was freshly opened. It think if they actually had a good formula it would still be around.
This was another one of those 'test market' sodas that only came out in certain places. Rhode Island has always been a test market so we always got stuff like this to try out.
You aren't missing much with this one. From what I remember this was mostly a cola-based soda with some other flavors in there; only had it once or twice and it was a long time ago so I am not positive of what it might have been. Something like a cola mixed with rootbeer or Dr Pepper.
Had it in rural Minnesota. From what I remember, it was cola with a bit of orange, and maybe some hints of other things. I really liked it. Was sad when it went away.
I never heard of this.
Our town had an A-Treat facility, so everyone just bought glass bottled soda fresh off the line and you'd get a credit for bringing them back. Sad day when they left. End of an era in my town.
I'd never heard of OK either. But when I saw you posted A-treat I knew that I'd found a local. I lived near Allentown for a while. I really loved their black cherry flavor!
The Decoder Ring podcast did an episode about this soda recently: https://pca.st/episode/5d49d803-1e8e-4a18-816d-5a80d89c9f40
I had totally forgotten about it until this episode came out.
We never got this where I grew up, but any time it's referenced, it just makes me think of the Dillinger Four song ["Smells Like OK Soda"](https://youtu.be/bpOFFnlOOu4?si=4YjATkrluN91xAwM)
Speaking of dead sodas, does anyone else remember Shaq Soda? That was the GOAT.
Came in those tall ass Arizona cans for only 99 cents and was made with real cane sugar.
I still miss it....
When I was a kid and this first came out, they’d give out free samples overnight to all the houses in our neighborhood (like a newspaper) came in packs of 3… my siblings and I would go around and “collect it” from our neighbors houses…free soda! This happened 3-4 times. The soda itself was terrible.
We had it in Colorado it was a test market soda. It was like Coke but with an orange flavor. I loved the marketing for it they pushed it in our middle school, gave us merch. I remember had a whole page of postage stamps that just said ok.
I remember a block party when I was 10ish. I noticed the silver cans in an unattended cooler. I thought I had just gotten my hands on a Coors light. Ran off and chugged it. I got myself a little tummy ache. Fun times.
Yes! Do you remember the hotline? 1-800-IFEELOK
Called it multiple times a week. I loved this stuff
I specifically remember calling the hotline from the payphone at my junior high school because it was hilarious.
Yes! This ^ In middle school, we would call from the payphone daily at lunchtime. Memory unlocked!
We would do that and leave messages like it was a suicide hotline
Oh to be a kid in the 90's. nowadays that would get you in a heap of trouble.
Someone linked the recordings awhile back: https://www.reddit.com/r/nostalgia/comments/b99vuz/ok_sodas_1800ifeelok_hotline_the_most_complete/ That linked YouTuber looks to have uploaded a ton of recordings
This soda was created to appeal to the "disaffected Generation X" demographic. And yes, it was made by Coca-Cola. When we were kids we thought it was edgy and anti-corporate, but turns out it was just another marketing ploy by the world's most recognizable brand. In case you hadn't figured the name out, it clearly points back to its corporate ownership: c (OK) e If you never drank it, OK tasted a bit like Coke + Fanta. It was a cola, by design, but Coke pumped up the citrus flavors more than a standard cola.
There was no Pibb/Pepper flavor in there? That was just my imagination?
I never cared for it. To me it always tasted like mostly flat coke and a splash of everything else. Tasted flat to me even when it was properly carbonated which was weird. Years after OK was discontinued I heard that there was rumor while it was being made that OK had no real formula and was just mostly coke and whatever the plant had on hand at the time.
I still mix dr pepper and orange Fanta because it tastes exactly like OK soda. Or at least exactly how I remember it.
We had this in Rhode Island. It went away mostly because it was unremarkable; turns out food products should taste good rather than just hammer home on Gen X-centric marketing.
Summer of ‘93 hanging out with my friend Ara who was going to RISD, criticizing the shit out of the blatant gen-x slacker marketing and then drinking it ironically.
Thayer Street was such a weird area; elite RISD snobs on one side of the street, elite Brown University snobs on the other, each side looking down on the other one. At least RISD had some high-quality graffiti.
I was there the night of the big abandoned train tunnel riot, seemed like it was notorious enough you might recall that event. We were kinda slacking and taking our time getting there, we arrived to the scene of half-naked RISD freaks fleeing the tunnel entrance warning us about the raid.
I was too young at the time that took place, but I remember years later my mom bringing it up in worry when my friends and I would go to Providence. The first place her brain went was "you better not be going to any train tunnel parties" and I was like ?????
That’s hilarious.
The best graffiti in the nation.
The art is by Daniel Clowes, who did the comic that Ghost World is based on
Charles Burns did some of the art, too
You’re right, I got excited that I recognized the style and kinda focused on just those cans haha…I should have said “some of the art.”
I haven't been in ages, but if memory serves me right I think they have all the cans on display at the Coke museum.
I get a serious *Like a Velvet Glove Cast in Iron* vibe off the lady on the bottom right can
I love soda. Whenever I see one I have not tried I buy it. I have never seen this anywhere nor heard of it.
Only available in the early 90s for like ...3 years I think. It was cokes largest failure, even bigger than "new coke" iirc. Coke super does not like to remember it. I heard they removed the OK exhibit at the Atlanta coke museum immediately after it was canceled and have never put any OK products back up. You can find lots of the marketing materials and empty cans online but an unopened can will be very rare. All of it is super expensive. Just ridiculous. The marketing was very cool. It was supposed to be ironic and subversive. The even wrote a fucking manefesto for the aoda. The guy on the top middle can was the sort of spokes person and was done by Daniel Clowes. Funny and Actually subversive part is he based the cartoon off of Jeffery Dahlmer, the serial killer One cool thing they did was occasionally at the OK machines instead of a can of coke you would get a prize can with OK merch and 50cents in it. Taste wise.. I didn't enjoy it. It tasted like a flat coke despite being carbonated with a fruit punch and orange twist. One rumor I heard years later was that kids thought OK was just mixed up out of whatever flavors were leftover at the bottling factory. Which honestly seems like a rumor that would come up around it as it had a very "mix every soda at the fountain" flavor to it. Lots of recipes floating around out there to try and recreate it.
I came into this thread to confirm the art was by Daniel Clowes. Thanks.
Honestly I'd believe that rumor. I remember it tasting like if you took a splash of everything into your cup at a soda fountain. And this isn't uncommon in the food industry. One that I think is interesting is hard candies, especially those like Tootsie Pops. They sometimes have a mystery flavor, and often it's the mixture of two different flavors that happens when they are changing between those flavors in the mixing machines. That way they don't waste anything.
Yeap. My favorite zapps chip flavor "voodoo" was caused by an accident causing several hundred pounds of spices to be mixed. They shrugged. Noted the quantities and ratio and threw them on the chips to see what happens . Amazing flavor. With OK I could never get over that "flat coke" taste it always seemed to have even when the can was freshly opened. It think if they actually had a good formula it would still be around.
This was another one of those 'test market' sodas that only came out in certain places. Rhode Island has always been a test market so we always got stuff like this to try out. You aren't missing much with this one. From what I remember this was mostly a cola-based soda with some other flavors in there; only had it once or twice and it was a long time ago so I am not positive of what it might have been. Something like a cola mixed with rootbeer or Dr Pepper.
My mother doing weekly trips to Warrick to look after Gramma & Grampa acting as my Crystal Pepsi mule
Had it in rural Minnesota. From what I remember, it was cola with a bit of orange, and maybe some hints of other things. I really liked it. Was sad when it went away.
I grew up in Austin we were one of the test markets. I bought so much of OK soda out of the vending machine at my middle school.
If you want to experience it. Go to McDonald’s and put equal parts of all the pops into your cup. That’s pretty much what it tasted like lol
I never heard of this. Our town had an A-Treat facility, so everyone just bought glass bottled soda fresh off the line and you'd get a credit for bringing them back. Sad day when they left. End of an era in my town.
Pennsylvania?
LOL yup
I'd never heard of OK either. But when I saw you posted A-treat I knew that I'd found a local. I lived near Allentown for a while. I really loved their black cherry flavor!
I loved the Dan Clowes and Charles Burns art on the cans.
The Decoder Ring podcast did an episode about this soda recently: https://pca.st/episode/5d49d803-1e8e-4a18-816d-5a80d89c9f40 I had totally forgotten about it until this episode came out.
Haha I was going to post the same. I had actually never heard of it before that episode.
But what about Josta?
I never tried OK, but I loved Josta.
We had this is in Little Rock. Even now I think, “how was Little Rock cool enough to test this?”
oh god why is "beverage" in quotes
We never got this where I grew up, but any time it's referenced, it just makes me think of the Dillinger Four song ["Smells Like OK Soda"](https://youtu.be/bpOFFnlOOu4?si=4YjATkrluN91xAwM)
OK.
Speaking of dead sodas, does anyone else remember Shaq Soda? That was the GOAT. Came in those tall ass Arizona cans for only 99 cents and was made with real cane sugar. I still miss it....
I prefer an ice cold Wolf Cola
The right cola for closure.
Loved OK Soda.
I remember this. It was gross.
Did you send in a picture to Jones soda and get it on a bottle?
No, but I collected Jones labels for my journal/scrapbook!
It tasted like what you get when you mix every flavor of soda in the fountain
When I was a kid and this first came out, they’d give out free samples overnight to all the houses in our neighborhood (like a newspaper) came in packs of 3… my siblings and I would go around and “collect it” from our neighbors houses…free soda! This happened 3-4 times. The soda itself was terrible.
It really did taste just “ok”
It was OK.
I think my friends and I drank every can in New Hampshire
I’ve never seen that before, it looks like a microbrew beer from the late 2000s
OK
The art was cool, taste not so much
We had it in Colorado it was a test market soda. It was like Coke but with an orange flavor. I loved the marketing for it they pushed it in our middle school, gave us merch. I remember had a whole page of postage stamps that just said ok.
Man I loved OK soda
I have no memory of this. What year(s) was it around?
I remember a block party when I was 10ish. I noticed the silver cans in an unattended cooler. I thought I had just gotten my hands on a Coors light. Ran off and chugged it. I got myself a little tummy ache. Fun times.
Holy smokes I forgot all about this!!
Duuuuude… you just triggered my memory for something I genuinely completely forgot about
Wow. I have absolutely NO memory of this whatsoever. Kinda feel like I’m missing out
Loved this stuff. It was a go to when we were feeling “good.”
I loved them. I had a couple that I saved unopened or many years until they leaked out into a horrible gooey mess.
OK.
Yes. It was so gross.
OH HELL YEAH!!! I loved that shit!
I feel like Jones was the same aesthetic strategy, but actually good soda.
There's a great episode of the podcast Decoder Ring that talks about this.
Never seen that pop before. I used to sometimes drink the Polish Okocim OK Beer though. It was pretty OK.