• by Danielle Oster , Yesterday

Coca-Cola is returning the honorific to the Mr. Pibb brand.

After reformulating and rebranding its Dr. Pepper competitor across most of its market as Pibb Xtra in 2001, Coca-Cola is now rebranding a new formula of the beverage with a return to Mr. Pibb. Prior to the millennial makeover, the brand had gone by Mr. Pibb since 1974 -- following a trademark infringement lawsuit filed by Dr Pepper over Coca-Cola’s “Peppo” brand launched in 1972.

Coca-Cola is describing the flavor of the new Mr. Pibb as “intensely sweet cherry with hints of caramel and a spicy bite,” emphasizing the drink contains “30% more caffeine” than its predecessor.

The company is relaunching Mr. Pibb and Mr. Pibb Zero Sugar in newly designed packaging across the California, Chicago, Florida, Las Vegas, and Michigan regions, ahead of a national rollout planned for 2026.

In a release announcing the news, Coca-Cola said the new Mr. Pibb packaging design added “eye-catching touches of gold and an exclamation point hinting at both its bold taste and extra caffeine content,” while retaining the brand’s signature maroon color. An initial marketing image shared by Coca-Cola contains the tagline “Bold kick of cherry.”

In a statement, Dane Callis, director, sparkling flavors for Coca-Cola North America, said the brand relaunch followed Coca-Cola’s recognition of longtime demand from a “feisty loyal following” of Mr. Pibb fans on social media.

“When Mr. Pibb first launched, the packaging didn’t tell consumers what it was — it told them what it was not,” Callis said. “Not root beer, not cola. It's something unique and original, a bold rebel in a category of norms. Nothing fans know and love about Mr. Pibb has gone away, but we took steps to modernize its look for new consumers’ tastes and preferences.”

 “This is a brand people know and love, but there is also an entirely new generation that doesn’t know Mr. Pibb exists,” added A.P. Chaney, senior director of creative, sparkling flavors for Coca-Cola North America. “The challenge for us, creatively, was to lean into the lore and popularity of the brand while driving awareness and discovery. We tried to marry the old with the new, the fresh and fun with the familiar.”

The relaunch of Mr. Pibb will be promoted by marketing components including online video, social content, and event marketing designed “to connect with multicultural Xennials and expand brand awareness.”

Comedian Roy Wood Jr. (probably best known for his stint on "The Daily Show") will voice the video ads, designed to “connect the brand with gaming, tailgating and other passion points.” Experiential activations will be run at locations including college campuses, and hip-hop star Tyler, The Creator’s Camp Flog Gnaw Carnival festival in Los Angeles Nov. 15-16.