Pibb Xtra
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Pibb Xtra (previously sold as Mr PiBB) is a carbonated soft drink marketed by The Coca-Cola Company.
Contents |
[edit] History
Introduced in August 1971 to compete against the popular drink Dr Pepper, Pibb has a small but loyal following in many parts of the United States, especially the South. Many hold that Mr PiBB had a flavor distinct from and far more nuanced than Dr Pepper, with slight hints of both root beer and chocolate soda. A diet version was also available into the 1990s in some markets, notably Texas. Some Pibb soda cans were uniquely shaped; instead of the traditional cylinder, the can had faceted sides.
The Coca-Cola Company even held a "Pibb Girl" contest in 1980, where a girl who matched a particular face (created as a composite of celebrities) would have won cash and prizes. The contest was dropped, however, after critics observed that the celebrities, and thus the composite and presumably the eventual winner, were all Caucasian.[citation needed]
Mr PiBB's slogan in the late 1990's was "Put it in your head" and the can featured an odd cartoon head drawn in a squiggly scribble style.
In 2001, a new flavor called Pibb Xtra was introduced with added cinnamon and cherry flavor, replacing the original Pibb flavor in many parts of the U.S., although some regions had both variations for sale at the same time. Pibb Xtra is often described as "spicier" and more similar to Dr Pepper than Mr PiBB.
In 2005, Coke introduced Pibb Zero, a sugar-free version of Pibb Xtra, in Texas, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Missouri. Coke reports that there are no plans to introduce Pibb Zero to the rest of the U.S, however it has been spotted in grocery stores in the South and in parts of the Midwest.
[edit] Availability
Pibb Xtra is widely available in the southeastern United States, parts of the Pacific Northwest and other areas of the country, depending on the local Coca-Cola bottler. It can be found in both fountain form (in restaurants) or canned/bottled in vending machines or grocery stores. Pibb Xtra can sometimes be found in southern-themed food stores in those parts of the US where it is not widely available. Pibb Xtra is also available in the Mariana Islands. Shortly after the introduction of Pibb Xtra, Mr PiBB was discontinued altogether.
[edit] Identity crisis
Longtime fans who have always drunk Pibb often refer to Pibb Xtra as "Mr PiBB", even though it is a slightly different drink. This is largely due to habit and the longtime use of the Mr PiBB moniker. Also, several fountains and vending machines still have Mr PiBB labels, even though it has been replaced by Pibb Xtra since 2001.
[edit] Imitators
Piggly Wiggly, a grocery store chain located mainly in the American South, sells a similar beverage called "Mr Pig."
[edit] In popular culture
- The product was mentioned in a well-received Saturday Night Live sketch, "Lazy Sunday" on December 17, 2005: "Mr PiBB plus Red Vines equals 'crazy delicious.'"
- Comedian Mitch Hedberg once quipped of the drink, “Mr Pibb is a replica of Dr Pepper, but it's a bullshit replica. Dude didn't even get his degree!”
- In the animated TV series American Dad, Stan Smith's favorite soda is Mr Pibb, it is unknown why, but this was revealed by the creators of the show on the DVD set of season 1 on the commentary on the episode "Roger Codger".
- In episode number 6 ("The Drill Machine") of The Skeletor Show, Skeletor and friends travel to the centre of the earth only to leave almost immediately, due to the lack of Mr Pibb ("Sorry, mac! Here at the centre of the earth we've only got Dr Pepper!").
- In the animated TV series The Simpsons, Bart and Lisa stay with their spinster aunts Patty and Selma, who offer them a choice of soy milk, clamato, or Mr Pibb to drink. Bart and Lisa decline. As well, at a comic book convention, Comic Book Guy sells a collection of Little Lulu comics that had been damaged by Diet Mr Pibb.
- In the animated TV series Family Guy, Peter was living with Superman when he said that they were running low on Mr Pibb and Cheez-Its.
- A Mr. Pibb video game was released for PC in 1998 by BrandGames, in which you play as Mr. Pibb in a school full of cartoonish zombies. It was an FPS and consisted of only one (although quite long) level.
- Popular webcomic 8-bit Theater character Fighter cites a conspiracy in that both Mr Pibb and Dr Pepper don't use periods in their abbreviation early on in the series.
