Dr Pepper Once Sued Coca-Cola Over This Soda

Soda satisfies a particular craving. When you take the first sip of a soda, the mix of flavors and the perfect ratio of sweetness and carbonation hits your tongue, delights your taste buds, and meets your thirst with a delicious and bubbly experience that simply can't be beat.

No other soda represents the unique mix of flavors, carbonation and sweetness that is Dr Pepper. The formula for the soft drink combines 23 unique flavors that add up for the distinct taste that is not quite like anything else. While the exact formula is top-secret, some fans of the soda can detect notes of licorice, amaretto, almond, blackberry, and caramel (via The Daily Meal). The perfect blend of flavors has made Dr Pepper wildly popular.

In the 1970s, the Coca-Cola company began producing a soda that was eerily similar to Dr Pepper. Imitation might be the sincerest form of flattery, but it can also spark a trademark lawsuit.

Dr Pepper once sued Coca-Cola over the soda that would eventually become known as Mr. Pibb. According to a New York Times article published on July 5, 1972, Dr Pepper thought a new soda being produced by the Coca-Cola Company was a little too similar to their own signature product. They filed a trademark lawsuit seeking triple damages that alleged Coca-Cola deliberately tried to copy the distinct flavors of Dr Pepper. The contentious soda at the center of the lawsuit was then called Peppo.

Of course, creating a similar soda with a similar name was a bit too close for comfort, and the lawsuit caused the Coca-Cola Company to change the name of Peppo, creating the Mr. Pibb we know today (via Retro Planet). The soda was made until 2001, when a new version with a cinnamon flavor, called Pibb Xtra, debuted, and the original formula was phased out.

Although the original Mr. Pibb is no longer made or sold, it still lives as a ghost on some soda fountains across the country that serve Pibb Xtra from dispensers bearing the logo of the original version.