The '80s are back, y'all!
Well, that's what the soft drink industry is leading me to believe, anyway. And I'm not about to fight it.
In their latest throwback move, the super-caffeinated cola billed as having "all the sugar and twice the caffeine" is coming back to the U.S., according to Advertising Age. It will be sold in single 16-ounce cans at Dollar General for a year, and then the energy cola company will decide where they wish to go from there.
$998 cheaper. Longer charge. Comes with headphone jack. pic.twitter.com/jo7XYzM82N
— Jolt Cola (@RealJoltCola) September 12, 2017
"Helping guide Jolt Cola's resurgence in America is an exciting and challenging opportunity," Jolt spokeswoman Kathryn Lyons said in an official statement released by the company. "This much-beloved brand embraces its market position as America's first carbonated energy cola. Connecting Jolt to a whole new generation of energy drink consumers will be exhilarating."
CEO Doug Dixon said that "this is Jolt's time" to return to "its rightful place as the carbonated energy beverage of America."
The fizzy drink first came out in 1985 and was marketed to hackers and other types of computer nerds looking to stay away for long sleepless nights of coding and what-have-you, notes Geek.com.
It eventually fizzled out of popularity despite attempts at rebranding, but now that throwback drinks like Surge and Crystal Pepsi are becoming popular again, Jolt gets a second chance to relive its heyday.
"It's a nostalgia thing," Lyons told Advertising Age. "We are bringing the '90s back. Why not bring the '80s back? Everyone seems to be so receptive to it."
A can of Jolt has 160 milligrams of caffeine, compared to the 45 in a can of Coke, although the energy drink also has 2 grams less sugar than Coke.
"These reintroductions of retro brands are great fodder for social media campaigns," explained Beverage-Digest Editor Duane Stanford. "So it makes sense these companies would want to bring them back and generate that online buzz."
Fine by me, whatever the reason! Drink up.