**Marketing and Promotion:**
– Featured in the movie ‘Days of Thunder’ without verbal mention
– Sponsored NASCAR driver Kyle Petty from 1991 to 1994
– Advertised in Ernest commercials with slogan ‘Make The Mello Yello Move’
– Gottlieb created a Mello Yello edition of arcade game Q*Bert
– Became title sponsor of NHRA drag racing series in 2013
**International Relaunches:**
– Relaunched in New Zealand in 2006 and 2007 as limited edition
– Relaunched in Japan in late June 2011
– Returned to Australia in 2012 with a 1980s logo
– Launched in Colombia as ‘Quatro’ in 1994
– Relaunched in New Zealand as a limited edition for summer
**Flavor Variants:**
– Original Mello Yello introduced in 1979
– Mello Yello Zero, a zero-calorie variant since 2010
– Mello Redd, a red mixed fruit variant in the 1980s
– Mello Yello Cherry released in 2003 and 2015
– Mello Yello Melon, a green melon-flavored variant in 2003
**References:**
– Mentioned in ‘The Atlanta Constitution’ on March 12, 1979
– Featured in Encyclopedia of Junk Food and Fast Food by Andrew F. Smith
– Discussed in ‘Violence and Non-Violence in Africa’
– Highlighted in a 2008 Good Housekeeping article
– Mello Yello Q*bert game review available on MAME Reviews
**Partnerships and Affiliations:**
– Associated with Coca-Cola Beverages Africa
– Linked to Coca-Cola Europacific Partners
– Affiliated with Coca-Cola FEMSA
– Partnered with Coca-Cola Hellenic
– Beverage Partners Worldwide
– Coca-Cola Amatil
– Coca-Cola Enterprises
– Columbia Pictures
– TriStar Pictures
Mello Yello is a highly caffeinated, citrus-flavored soft drink produced, distributed and created by the Coca-Cola Company that was introduced on March 12, 1979, to compete with PepsiCo's Mountain Dew.
 | |
| Type | Citrus soda |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | The Coca-Cola Company |
| Introduced | March 12, 1979 |
| Color | Chartreuse yellow |
| Flavor | Citrus |
| Variants |
|
| Related products | Vault Mountain Dew Surge Sun Drop |
| Website | www |
Mello Yello was withdrawn from Australia in the early 1990s, being replaced with the similar but uncaffeinated Lift.
In South Africa in the 1980s, Mello Yello became associated with Apartheid South African Police and their notorious canary-colored vehicles.
There have been three flavored variants of Mello Yello in North America. Mello Yello Cherry was released in response to Mountain Dew Code Red.[citation needed] The other two variants were Mello Yello Afterglow (peach-flavored) and Mello Yello Melon. All three were only available for a limited time. Mello Yello Cherry is available at Coca-Cola Freestyle machines and is still available in limited markets.
The caffeine content is 49.5 mg per 12 US fl oz (355 mL) serving (139 mg/L).
The national expansion ended in 2021 with Mello Yello's availability limited to the eastern part of the United States, however it is still sold as a fountain drink at various locations including Arby's, Cracker Barrel, Hardee's, Golden Corral, and Culvers.