**History and Revival**:
– Surge was introduced by Coca-Cola in 1996 as a competitor to Mountain Dew, initially named MDK.
– It was released to 140 markets in the US in 1997 but faced declining sales in subsequent years.
– After its discontinuation in 2003, a community called Save Surge emerged, leading to the creation of Vault in 2005.
– The Surge Movement on Facebook was formed after Vault’s discontinuation in 2011.
– Surge was re-released as an Amazon.com exclusive in 2014 and later in convenience stores across the Eastern US in 2015.
**Trademark and Legal Connections**:
– Coca-Cola settled a trademark dispute with Babson Bros in 1997 over the name Surge.
– Surge’s production and distribution involved partnerships with various companies.
– Legal disputes over trademarks and ingredients were resolved to ensure Surge’s continuity.
– Surge’s ownership by Coca-Cola was part of its diverse portfolio of beverage brands.
– The reintroduction of Surge reflected Coca-Cola’s strategic marketing and brand management efforts.
**Marketing and Promotion**:
– Coca-Cola used various strategies like commercials and social media campaigns to promote Surge.
– Burger King had an exclusive partnership to offer Surge at their restaurants.
– The Surge Movement played a crucial role in the drink’s comeback.
– Surge’s return was marketed with a nostalgic appeal to attract its original fan base.
– Consumers received Surge’s return with excitement and positivity.
**Variants and Ingredients**:
– Surge had variants like Surge Soda, Surge Cola, and Frozen Surge.
– The drink contained caffeine, high fructose corn syrup, and artificial flavors.
– Surge fountain syrup was used in soda fountains for dispensing.
– Nutritional information highlighted Surge’s high sugar and caffeine content.
– Surge’s ingredients and unique flavor profile differentiated it from other citrus sodas.
**International Presence and Formulation**:
– Surge was distributed globally, including in countries like Norway and the US.
– Coca-Cola’s partnerships facilitated Surge’s availability in various markets.
– Surge’s international success contributed to its revival as a cult favorite beverage.
– Surge’s availability in different regions showcased its appeal to a diverse audience.
– The drink’s formulation included maltodextrin for a longer-lasting energy boost and had a caffeine content of 51mg per 12 fl. oz serving.
Surge (sometimes styled as SURGE) is a citrus-flavored soft drink first produced in the 1990s by the Coca-Cola Company to compete with Pepsi's Mountain Dew. Surge was advertised as having a more "hardcore" edge, much like Mountain Dew's advertising at the time, in an attempt to lure customers away from Pepsi. It was originally launched in Norway as Urge in 1996, and was so popular that it was released in the United States as Surge in 1997. Lagging sales caused production to be ended in 2003 for most markets.
 | |
| Type | Citrus soda |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | The Coca-Cola Company |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Introduced | February 7, 1997 (original run) 2014 (Amazon-exclusive; revival) 2015 (Eastern United States) August 2018 (all Burger King and McDonald's Coca-Cola Freestyle machines) |
| Discontinued | 2003 (original run) |
| Color | Light Green |
| Related products | Citra/Fanta Citrus Mello Yello Mountain Dew Sprite Sun Drop Urge Vault |
However, popular fan bases such as Facebook's "SURGE Movement" led Coca-Cola to re-release the soft drink on September 15, 2014, for the US market via Amazon Prime in 12-packs of 16-US-fluid-ounce (470 mL) cans. Following a test-market for the beverage in the Southeastern United States in early 2015, Surge was re-released primarily in convenience stores in the Eastern United States and some Mountain states in September 2015.[citation needed] Surge was re-released internationally in September 2018 in Burger King restaurants in the Coca-Cola Freestyle machines.