In the late 1990s, Americans started turning away from sugary soda and embracing what seemed like a healthier alternative: bottled water. Sensing the massive shift in consumer habits, Coca-Cola jumped into the booming market in 1999 with Dasani.
But what followed wasn’t so much a success story as it was a branding disaster. From its controversial sourcing to its unusual taste, Dasani triggered a public backlash and quickly became one of the most criticized bottled water brands ever.
So how did one of the world’s biggest companies get it so wrong? And why do people still talk about Dasani today?
Why THIS Became The Most Hated Bottled Water
Weird History · Season 5 · Episode 32
In the late 1990s, Americans started turning away from sugary soda and embracing what seemed like a healthier alternative: bottled water. Sensing the massive shift in consumer habits, Coca-Cola jumped into the booming market in 1999 with Dasani.
But what followed wasn’t so much a success story as it was a branding disaster. From its controversial sourcing to its unusual taste, Dasani triggered a public backlash and quickly became one of the most criticized bottled water brands ever.
So how did one of the world’s biggest companies get it so wrong? And why do people still talk about Dasani today?
But what followed wasn’t so much a success story as it was a branding disaster. From its controversial sourcing to its unusual taste, Dasani triggered a public backlash and quickly became one of the most criticized bottled water brands ever.
So how did one of the world’s biggest companies get it so wrong? And why do people still talk about Dasani today?
Episode Details
Air date, runtime, timezone, and episode position.
Season
5
Episode
32
Air Date
12/Apr/2026
Air Time
—
Runtime
16 min
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