In the summer of 1985, Coca-Cola doesn’t back down. Instead of restoring the original formula after public backlash, New Coke triumphs in a high-profile taste test and becomes the permanent face of American soda. But the consequences ripple far beyond fizz and flavor. This deeply immersive episode follows three generations of one Georgia family as the cola wars morph into a culture war—dividing towns, schools, and even funerals.

As “Victory Coke” becomes synonymous with American pride, dissent turns into taboo, and corporate branding seeps into every corner of daily life. Through subtle power plays, political entanglements, and generational reckonings, the episode reveals how something as simple as a soda can become a symbol of identity, rebellion, and national memory.

Told with cinematic intimacy and haunting resonance, Life, Liberty, and New Coke asks: what happens when nostalgia loses—and marketing wins?

NOT THIS TIME — A podcast of alternate timelines.

THE ARCHIVIST