With real lemon juice!

In 1982, the Maryland Poison Center reported almost 80 cases of people who had suffered nausea and diarrhea after drinking Sunlight dishwashing liquid. They had received free bottles of the stuff in the mail as part of a promotional campaign. The source of the confusion was a picture of lemons on the label as well as the phrase "with real lemon juice." This led many to conclude that the bottle contained some kind of lemonade. Or a lemon-flavored drink mixer. A lot of people added it to iced tea.

A spokesman for Lever Brothers, the manufacturer of the product, noted that the bottles also clearly said, "Sunlight dishwashing liquid."

Sunlight no longer uses the phrase "with real lemon juice." Apparently they learned their lesson. But they've still got a picture of a lemon on their bottles.

Muncie Evening Press - July 15, 1982

Indianapolis Star - July 15, 1982

The bottle that caused the confusion

More in extended >>

Posted By: Alex - Sat Jan 20, 2018 - Comments (6)
Category: Soda, Pop, Soft Drinks and other Non-Alcoholic Beverages, 1980s

Make milk a social drink

1960: The dairy industry, noting that coffee, tea, beer, liquor, and soft drinks are traditionally served at parties but milk isn't, started plotting ways to make milk a "social drink."

If you add alcohol to milk it could be considered a social drink. Otherwise, I'd say their campaign fizzled.

Akron Beacon Journal - Dec 4, 1960

Port Angeles Evening News - Mar 9, 1960

Posted By: Alex - Sat Nov 26, 2016 - Comments (4)
Category: Food, Soda, Pop, Soft Drinks and other Non-Alcoholic Beverages, 1960s

Its The Real Thing

Some think of a pool full of Coca Cola and Mentos and say, "Why?" These guys said, "Why not!"

Posted By: patty - Tue Jun 28, 2016 - Comments (8)
Category: Drones, Excess, Overkill, Hyperbole and Too Much Is Not Enough, Candy, Soda, Pop, Soft Drinks and other Non-Alcoholic Beverages, Nausea, Revulsion and Disgust

Canada Dry Liquors

The complicated story of how a soda company came to market its own brand of booze is entertainingly told here.

Posted By: Paul - Mon Mar 21, 2016 - Comments (7)
Category: Advertising, Soda, Pop, Soft Drinks and other Non-Alcoholic Beverages, 1960s, Alcohol

“I’d Like to Buy the World a Coke!”

Egyptian swingers get down with Coke.

Posted By: Paul - Sat Mar 12, 2016 - Comments (1)
Category: Business, Advertising, Products, Foreign Customs, Soda, Pop, Soft Drinks and other Non-Alcoholic Beverages, 1950s

Climate Change Coke

As our poor abused planet whipsaws between extreme cold and extreme heat on a minute-to-minute schedule, only Coke can help soothe our pain. The "melting glacier" allegory at the end is effective, albeit unsubtle.

Posted By: Paul - Wed Sep 09, 2015 - Comments (4)
Category: Business, Advertising, Products, Nature, Soda, Pop, Soft Drinks and other Non-Alcoholic Beverages, 1960s

Follies of the Madmen #234

Message: it helps to be crazy if you want to drink Gold Spot.

More info here.

Posted By: Paul - Mon Nov 10, 2014 - Comments (6)
Category: Business, Advertising, Products, Soda, Pop, Soft Drinks and other Non-Alcoholic Beverages, India

Refreshment on the Job

The economy that soda built.

Posted By: Paul - Mon Oct 27, 2014 - Comments (5)
Category: Business, Advertising, Products, Work and Vocational Training, Soda, Pop, Soft Drinks and other Non-Alcoholic Beverages, 1950s

Vegetarian Water

The makers of the Prestige LifeStraw water filter claim that their filter is so good that it produces "vegetarian water."

Posted By: Alex - Mon Jun 30, 2014 - Comments (18)
Category: Vegetarians and Vegans, Soda, Pop, Soft Drinks and other Non-Alcoholic Beverages

Fresh-Up Freddie

Disney characters have touted much merch. But rarely has the studio designed a character expressly as a corporate spokesman. The exception is Fresh-Up Freddie for 7-Up.

But what a godawful mess he was, all over the stereotype map.

In this non-embeddable commercial Freddie is manic like Woody Woodpecker or Daffy Duck. Then he does a Maurice Chevalier imitation. There are real humans and teenybopper birds.



Still manic, but now he's also a "teenager" Fred Astaire.



Some kind of socialite William Powell/Richie Rich.



Texas oil baron.



Now he talks like Speedy Gonzalez, as a bullfighter.



Cowboy.



And last but not least, Freddie has a sex change.

Posted By: Paul - Fri Apr 25, 2014 - Comments (5)
Category: Anthropomorphism, Business, Advertising, Products, Stereotypes and Cliches, Soda, Pop, Soft Drinks and other Non-Alcoholic Beverages, Cartoons