Hopefully, everyone will be familiar with the name of the popular lemon-lime-flavored soft drink line, Sierra Mist that is famous to many, and you notice some controversial issues about it.
Yes, the Sierra Mist Lawsuit caught the attention and left people eager and surprised. So, let’s know what the Sierra Mist Lawsuit is and the reasons behind it.
The internal research showed that the demand for lemon lime-flavored soda is more significant, so PepsiCo decided to develop a new soda lime drink.
TikTok Creator Cierra Mist Allegations Against PepsiCo
A well-known TikToker, Cierra Mist, alleged that she has been facing legal repercussions from PepsiCo. This statement started to gain attention on social media and spread a debate within the online community. Cierra is well-recognized for crafting compelling content as a flight attendant and adopted her online moniker.
This controversy began when she referenced the beverage giant PepsiCo as one of her video parallels to Pepsi’s Soda Sierra Mist. TikTok creator Cierra said they took action against her because her name resembles PepsiCo’s soda Sierra Mist.
Cierra uploaded a video on YouTube in July 2023 claiming that the soda company accused her of trademark infringement. It stirred widespread controversy and created a sense of disappointment among people. The company did not give any official statement for justification, which created many cliffhangers regarding the specifics of the legal action taken.
That is not one of the initial events of such controversy that encourages individuals to scrutinize the intentions and conduct of major corporations.
Replaced Sierra Mist With Starry by PepsiCo
Fans of the Sierra Mist became disappointed with the discontinuation in January, and then PepsiCo announced that it would be replaced with another soft drink, Starry. According to a Statista report, Sprite generated six times more sales in 2021 than Sierra Mist. After that, PepsiCo decided to replace Sierra Mist with Starry.
Due to this, the renowned soft drink PepsiCo Sierra Mist was discontinued in January 2023. The beverage was succeeded by a lemon-lime soda named Starry that strategically positioned to rival other brands like 7up and Sprite.
Sierra Mist is cloyingly sweet, and the cane sugar adds a complex and intense sweetness that pushes the lemon-lime note away. Meanwhile, Starry has high fructose corn syrup, a neutral sugar source that makes the citrus pop.
Sierra Mist was the black sheep of lemon-lime soda, released in 1999. Sierra tried to find itself with reformulation and rebranding. It was the first soda made with high fructose corn syrup converted to the cane sugar-based Sierra Mist Natural in 2010.
In 2014, PepsiCo added Stevia to the Sierra Mist formula to switch back to corn syrup and rebranded as Mist Twist two years later. However, according to Fortune, Stevia has been used to sweeten the lemon-lime soft drink, which is now being switched out for high fructose corn syrup.
According to CNN News, Starry is ranking toward younger drinks because of internet slang ‘Starry Hits Different.’ it is shifting away from the consumers to smaller brands. Therefore, Pepsi plans to promote the drink by using media like digital ads and presence on social media like TikTok.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was Sierra Mist Discontinued in the lawsuit?
Cierra and her attorneys proved that the company's rights to Sierra Mist had expired. She felt that she was intimidated by the company. Therefore, she brought the copyright, and copyright protection lasts for a limited period.
What is the Sierra Mist Lawsuit?
It is a legal action taken by PepsiCo against TikTok, which alleges trademark infringement.
Why Did Sierra Mist get changed to Starry?
Starry is a lemon-lime soft drink distributed by PepsiCo. It started distribution in January 2023. The brand aims to compete with other well-known brands like 7up and Sprite, so Starry replaced Sierra as Pepsi's lemon lime-flavored drink.