After four decades out of the spotlight in the fiercely competitive soda aisle, a familiar yet long-forgotten name is making a surprising return: RC Cola. The classic beverage, which once held its own against industry giants, has been mostly absent from the spotlight since the 1980s, but that’s all about to change with a bold new revival. Behind this much‑anticipated comeback is beverage powerhouse Keurig Dr Pepper, whose decision to resurrect the brand now is far more strategic than simple nostalgia. Keep reading to discover the exact reason the company believes this is the perfect time to bring back RC Cola.
RC Cola is officially back
This year marks the bold comeback of RC Cola, as Keurig Dr Pepper rolls out the brand’s first advertising campaign in four decades. Staying true to its roots, the soda retains the classic packaging that fans remember from the 1970s and ’80s. The campaign pays homage to Chicago, a city where RC Cola has long been a local favorite thanks to its ties with neighborhood pizzerias. Sporting the bold tagline — “Not a soft drink. Just a damn good cola.” — the brand is embracing a simple, no-frills identity, offering a straightforward alternative in today’s crowded landscape of health-focused and specialty beverages.
Why bring back RC Cola now?
Keurig Dr Pepper sees this moment as the perfect opportunity to reintroduce RC Cola. “We think that right now [we] can really stand out as the soda category has become dominated by a bunch of messaging around wellness and also happiness and crowd pleasing: wanting to be great for everyone,” Erica Hollington, director of brand marketing for Keurig Dr Pepper’s emerging brands, said in an interview.
Reviving RC Cola also allows the company to reach a segment of consumers it hasn’t fully captured before. Historically, Keurig Dr Pepper has made its name in flavored sodas such as ginger ale, orange soda, and root beer, while remaining under the radar in the cola market, Hollington noted. With cola making up 46% of overall soda sales and posting a 4.6% increase in 2024, according to Circana data, the brand sees an opening for growth.
Though RC Cola is still a smaller brand in the company’s lineup, Hollington sees “huge growth potential,” thanks to its strong name recognition. The move aligns with a broader trend among soda brands tapping into nostalgia—Coca-Cola, for example, recently reintroduced Mr. Pibb with an updated recipe and offered retro-themed limited-time beverages for Diet Coke. Hollington explained that consumers are naturally drawn to brands they view as authentic and steeped in history, a category where RC Cola fits perfectly due to its legacy and record of past innovation.
Committed to its roots, RC Cola isn’t chasing every market trend, although it has introduced a zero-sugar version of the soda. For now, Keurig Dr Pepper is focused on expanding its existing offerings rather than launching new products. “[We can] worry more about really being true to ourselves and speaking directly to our current loyal fans and those others that may become part of that fan club,” Hollington said.
The rise, fall, and return of RC Cola
RC Cola was founded in 1905 and quickly earned a reputation as one of the most innovative cola brands in the United States. While it wasn’t the very first cola, RC Cola pioneered several industry firsts: it was the first to sell soda in aluminum cans, the first to introduce a low-calorie diet cola, and the first to hold nationwide taste tests to engage consumers. Its clever marketing also helped the brand gain recognition, including memorable campaigns in the 1940s featuring John Wayne, which cemented RC Cola’s place in pop culture.
By the 1960s, RC Cola had climbed to the position of the No. 3 soda brand in the country, earning a loyal following and cult classic status. Despite these achievements, the brand gradually faded from the public eye over the following decades. Increased competition from giants like Coca-Cola and Pepsi, along with changing consumer preferences and limited marketing resources, led to RC Cola disappearing from many store shelves for nearly 40 years.
Today, the brand is making a comeback, reintroducing itself to a new generation of soda drinkers. Whether RC Cola can reclaim its former glory remains to be seen, but with nostalgia serving as one of today’s most powerful drivers for consumer choice, there’s a strong possibility that the brand could make waves and challenge the cola giants once again.
Source: Food Dive