Great news for Pepsi enthusiasts! Crystal Pepsi will be stocked on shelves nationwide for a limited time August 8th. The return of the aspartame-sweetened Diet Pepsi comes after a harsh backlash when the soft beverage company reformulated their product. “Pepsi is all about pop culture and few things are as hot right now in pop culture as the 1990s”, said Linda Lagos, the company’s Marketing Director. When Crystal Pepsi was originally launched in the early 1990s it was an instant success and created a cult-like following. Loyalists have requested it back since it left grocery stores. Bringing back old soda products has become a common marketing strategy for marketers looking to hype buzz on social media. The retro beverage will be characterized as a “Classic Sweetener Blend” soft drink in a light blue packaging. However, not everyone is enthusiastic about the return. The sweetener has been linked with negative press over the years to health concerns. A commentator on Pepsi’s Facebook page yelled, “Just found out you’re putting aspartame back in diet Pepsi. Just kill us all because your sales dropped.” Even though Pepsi is in a no-win situation on the consumer side of this re-release, in our eyes you always win when you market a throwback!