Nuka-Cola

Nuka-Cola is the flagship product of the Nuka-Cola Corporation and one of the symbols of United States culture. Introduced in 2044, it rapidly dominated the soft drink market, eventually becoming the most popular soda on the market and a staple of American culture. Bottled and distributed nationwide, Nuka-Cola was available in such numbers that even two centuries after the Great War put a stop to all major bottling operations, Nuka-Cola bottles can still be found in the wastelands in large quantities.Fallout 4 loading screens: "Nuka-Cola, the most popular American soda before the war, manufactured so many bottles that the drink can still be found and enjoyed now, more than 200 years later." In the aftermath of the Great War, Nuka-Cola bottle caps became the de facto currency in most post-War societies.Fallout 4 loading screens: "All across the United States, in the aftermath of the Great War, the bottle caps of Nuka-Cola are the most commonly used currency."
==Background==
Nuka-Cola entered the beverage market in 2044, with the invention of the soft drink by John-Caleb Bradberton after two years of experimentation. Though strictly unhealthy (containing 120% of the recommended daily allowance of sugar), it took the United States market by storm and within a year it could be purchased nationwide. Its popularity rapidly increased and within several years it was the most popular beverage across the globe.Fallout 4 loading screens: "Amateur chemist John-Caleb Bradberton discovered the formula for Nuka-Cola in 2044. Within a year, Nuka-Cola could be purchased across the entire United States."Sierra Petrovita: "When Nuka-Cola was invented by John-Caleb Bradberton in 2044, it quickly became the world's most popular soft drink. The wonder drink soon drew a dedicated following which prompted the Nuka-Cola Corporation to release many promotional items like these. By 2067, a Nuka-Cola machine such as this rare pristine model could be found on almost every street in America. Even in today's crazy world, Nuka-Cola is still the number one choice of refreshment among Armageddon's survivors."(Sierra Petrovita's dialogue)
The constant drive to improve and innovate the formula resulted in numerous flavor variations, with the most popular ones like cherry, grape, and orange released just a few years after the drink debuted.Nuka-World loading screens: "Nuka-Cola introduced fruit-flavored beverages such as Nuka-Cherry, Nuka-Grape and Nuka-Orange only a few short years after the corporation was founded. They were an instant success." Whenever the company encountered competition, it would attempt to deal with it aggressively. Cherry and grape variants of the Nuka-Cola were patents acquired by the company after identifying individual competitors. In other cases, the corporation would attempt to buy out competitors, as was the case with Sunset Sarsaparilla in 2058 and Vim! Pop Incorporated in 2077. Failing that, it would attempt to release a competing drink accompanied by a massive promotional campaign.Nuka-Town ground terminal entries; Nuka-World informational terminal After attempts to acquire Sunset Sarsaparilla failed, Nuka-Cola attempted to directly compete with it through Nuka-Cola Wild and the opening of Dry Rock Gulch at Nuka-World. Though it gained a respectable popularity in the American Southwest, it failed to match that of Sunset Sarsaparilla.Nuka-World loading screens: "Although the Nuka-Cola Corporation would never admit it, Nuka-Cola Wild was released to directly compete with Sunset Sarsaparilla after attempts to acquire that company met with failure." 
The latest Nuka-Cola taste variant was created in October 2076, as the head of the chemical weapons program instigated by John-Caleb Bradberton reported that his team created an isotope of strontium-90 that could be reliably weaponized, as a coating for power armor, a custom munition for the prototypical M42 Fat Man or even an area effect weapon that could be safely deployed from something as simple as a Thirst Zapper. It could also be used "somewhat safely" in a new kind of Nuka-Cola. Bradberton ordered it to be put into production, as Nuka-Cola Quantum (named after the isotope designation in the beverageer's system).Bradberton's office terminal entries; Bradberton's project terminal, 10-20-2076 JCB
Quantum was fast-tracked through the approval process, presented as the culmination of a three year research program. To create an isotope safe for human consumption, focus groups were used to test various variants of the Quantum isotope. After numerous casualties (at least 62 test subjects died as a result of organ failure, with many more hospitalized with radiation burns; families were provided with Nuka Condolences Fruit and Cheese Packages that contained liability waivers), a safe isotope was created and the first cases of Nuka-Cola Quantum hit the market in select cities on the East Coast, like Boston and Washington, D.C..Nuka-Cola plant terminal entries; Packing line terminal, Company Announcement 
Even after the War obliterated the parent corporation, Nuka-Cola would continue to be the most popular soft drink on the North American continent, available in almost limitless quantities. Despite being warm and flat, it holds the allegiance of many and continues to addict wastelanders.Dugan, Sierra Petrovita and Zip are such addicts.
==Production==
===Ingredients===
* Carbonated water
* Sugar or aspartame
* Caffeine
* Phosphoric acid
* Citric acid
* Caramel color
* Potassium benzoate
* Natural flavoringsDugan: "{123}{}{Carbonated Water, Caramel Color, Aspartame, Phosphoric Acid, Potassium Benzoate (To Protect Taste), Natural Flavors, Citric Acid, Caffeine}"(DUGAN.MSG)
The unique taste of Nuka-Cola is the result of a combination of seventeen fruit essences, balanced to enhance the classic cola flavor.Nuka-World loading screens: "Nuka-Cola's award-winning taste is derived from a secret combination of seventeen fruit essences which are balanced to enhance, but not overwhelm, that classic cola flavor."Nuka-Cola formula The balance is precarious and minute adjustments can affect it severely. Such was the case when the freshly launched Nuka-Cola was reformulated in response to the Great Passion Fruit Famine of 2044 and consumers noticed the change in flavor.The Lone Wanderer: "The taste... I could never get used to it."Sierra Petrovita: "No no no! You're mistaken! The flavor is the essence of seventeen different fruits mixed in just the right proportion to give the beverage that delicious taste. In fact, in the Great Passion Fruit Famine of 2044, people actually noticed the taste difference when the flavor was changed!"(Sierra Petrovita's dialogue)
Nuka-Cola contains excessive amounts of caffeine and 120% of the recommended daily value of sugar, making it decisively unhealthy for extended consumption.World of Refreshment tour: "Welcome to the Nuka-Cola World of Refreshment, now featuring a river of Nuka-Cola Quantum! Nuka-Cola Quantum: Twice the calories, twice the carbohydrates, twice the caffeine, and twice the taste! And just look at that amazing, patented blue glow! So sit back and enjoy the ride as we take you through the Nuka-Cola World of Refreshment!Nuka-Cola began its journey in the year 2042 when our founder, John-Caleb Bradberton, was a budding chemist. He dreamt of a delicious soft drink that would provide energy, focus and 120% of the recommended daily value of sugar!It took almost two years to perfect the formula, but in late 2044, Mr. Bradberton was finally successful and Nuka-Cola was born! It quickly surpassed other, lesser beverages to become America's number-one favorite soft drink. Not one to rest on his laurels, Mr. Bradberton and his team of talented "Beverageers" continued to create new and exciting formulas.Out west, they enjoy regional favorites such as the classy Nuka-Cola Quartz and refreshingly patriotic Nuka-Cola Victory. Or, for those that prefer a timeless root-based beverage, they pick up a delicious Nuka-Cola Wild!While out here on the east coast, folks delight in the refreshment of an ice-cold Nuka-Grape, Nuka-Orange, or Nuka-Cherry. And be on the lookout for our special pre-release shipments of Nuka-Cola Quantum coming soon to your favorite grocer or restaurant!Hey Mom and Dad, are you ready for a night out on the town? Then pick up an ice-cold Nuka-Cola Dark and experience the most thirst-quenching way to unwind. Nuka-Cola Dark: that refreshingly familiar Nuka-Cola taste with a light alcoholic twist. But this isn't just a ride, it's one of several operational factories actively producing Nuka-Cola. Here in the mixing area, we combine just a hint of 17 select fruit flavors to produce that unique Nuka-Cola taste.Here in the bottling chamber, we carefully pour each delicious liquid into our new, space-age rocket bottles! Each bottle is carbonated and then sealed with one of our signature bottle caps.And now for a special surprise, this is where we produce the newest member of our family, Nuka-Cola Quantum! That blue glow isn't just for show, folks! Quantum contains a top-secret additive to give you a "nuclear" boost of energy!On behalf of all of us at Nuka-World, we hope you've enjoyed the ride and learning more about Nuka-Cola!"(World of Refreshment announcer's dialogue) To counter the negative image, it was marketed as being fortified with vitamins, minerals and "health tonics."The Lone Wanderer: "Never mind. I think you've had enough sugar for one day."Zip: "But Nuka-Cola's fortified with vitaminerals and health tonics! It even says so on the label! That means it's healthy for me!"(Zip's dialogue) Intensive consumption can cause Nuka-Cola addiction, which can lead to splitting headaches if Nuka-Cola isn't consumed on a regular basis.Dugan: "{116}{}{It is the stuff of life . . . Well actually, if I don't drink it on an hourly basis I get a splitting headache.}"(DUGAN.MSG)
===Bottling===
The iconic curved Nuka-Cola bottle was used by the company ever since its introduction in 2044. The Dazzling Blue color of the glass was popular with consumers: Market research in 2052 indicated that 86 out of 100 polled consumers chose blue as their favorite color.The Lone Wanderer: "Why a blue bottle if the soda is brown? That's just weird."Sierra Petrovita: "Aha! That's where you're wrong! Market research done in 2052 said that the blue color was the favorite in 86 people out of 100 polled. And the particular hue of blue is Dazzling Blue, scientifically proven to be the most pleasing of all blues!"(Sierra Petrovita's dialogue)
Nuka-Cola was forced to replace the curved design with a rocket-shaped bottle in 2077. It was the result of long-running litigation over patent infringement, a case that the Nuka-Cola Corporation lost. However, consumers reacted positively to the new Space Age bottle and Nuka-Cola's sales increased even further.Nuka-World loading screens: "Nuka-Cola's signature rocket-shaped bottle replaced the traditional curved bottle when a rival corporation successfully sued for patent infringement. Fortunately, the public saw the new bottle as an improvement and Nuka-Cola's sales increased." 
Nuka-Cola was also distributed in soda fountains and cans, although these forms of distribution were far less popular than the iconic bottle, with cans finding its niche around the midwestern United States.Nuka-Cola vending machine: "{105}{}{ skillfully dodges a can of Nuka-Cola.}"(Zinuke.msg)Trash contains crushed, discarded cans.
===Distribution===
The surge in popularity led to Nuka-Cola spreading nationwide. By 2067, there was a vending machine on almost every street in America, offering regular Nuka-Cola and any of its variants.Sierra Petrovita: "When Nuka-Cola was invented by John-Caleb Bradberton in 2044, it quickly became the world's most popular soft drink. The wonder drink soon drew a dedicated following which prompted the Nuka-Cola Corporation to release many promotional items like these. By 2067, a Nuka-Cola machine such as this rare pristine model could be found on almost every street in America. Even in today's crazy world, Nuka-Cola is still the number one choice of refreshment among Armageddon's survivors."(Sierra Petrovita's dialogue) Popularity of its variants strongly depended on the region, with western states strongly favoring Nuka-Cola Quartz, Victory and the root-beer flavored Wild (competing with Sunset Sarsaparilla). More urbanized eastern states favored classic tastes, such as Nuka-Grape, Nuka-Cola Orange and Nuka-Cherry.
===Logotype and branding===
The original branding of Nuka-Cola was very basic but extremely effective. Marketed towards the family (but largely the children), and would even be swept up in the jingoism of the American culture of the time with ads and event featuring prominent military weaponry:File:NukaBreak.pngRobCo Battlezone and would even paint power armor in the branding of Nuka-Cola.Star Control's Quantum X-01 power armor and Nuka T-51 power armor
However, a lawsuit that settled against the Nuka-Cola Corporation for use of Nuka-Cola's bottle design allowed them to rebrand starting with the product itself. Nuka-Cola would take a radical change to Nuka-Cola's image to a Space Age theme with bottles taking on the shape of a rocketship. To compliment the new rocket ship bottle, a mascot from 2062 would begin to see reuse because of her glove-like suit fit the Space Age theme: the Nuka-Girl in a skimpy spacesuit with her raygun the Thirst Zapper.Fallout 4 loading screens: "In 2062, the Nuka-Girl Rocketsuit costume was released to retailers just in time for Halloween. Its popularity was so overwhelming, the stores couldn't keep up with the demand."
The logotype of Nuka-Cola would utilize basic brush script font in white with a unique 'N' and additional brush strokes for the hyphen and could also be underlined or stacked based on layout. Red would be the only color to compliment the white text, which both in turn compliment the black hue of Nuka-Cola. In the latter part of 2077, an orange stroke began to appear in advertisements but did not become ubiquitous because of the Great War. The use of this logotype is the most common among Nuka-Cola's products, but there were some problems with consistency in advertisements.Advertisements throughout the Fallout series
To differentiate variant flavors of Nuka-Cola from one another, different logos would also be developed for each flavor, but each one would complement the base Nuka-Cola logotype which was always printed in smaller type on the flavor's label. This branding consistency would also carry over to locations, such as Nuka-World which uses the same font type for its logo.
===Competitors===
Nuka-Cola became a nationally-recognized brand through a combination of aggressive marketing and hostile corporate practices, including takeovers and undermining its competition. The preferred approach was to acquire popular local sodas and rebrand or remarket them as Nuka-Cola variants. Such was the case with two of its flagship flavors, Nuka-Cherry and Nuka-Grape, originally Merle's Very Cherry Soda and Grape-Pearl Soda.See Nuka-Cola Corporation for details.
Larger companies were typically more resilient and rebuffed Nuka-Cola's advances. One such case is Sunset Sarsaparilla, a sarsaparilla popular in the southwestern United States. When negotiations with the company fell through in 2058, Nuka-Cola attempted to compete by launching a rival soda, Nuka-Cola Wild.Nuka-World loading screens: "Although the Nuka-Cola Corporation would never admit it, Nuka-Cola Wild was released to directly compete with Sunset Sarsaparilla after attempts to acquire that company met with failure."
Another competitor is Vim! soda, a popular Maine drink. Owned by a single family, Vim! repeatedly refused offers from Nuka-Cola. In response, the company sued Vim! for copyright infringement (over the new Vim! Quartz soda) and committed industrial espionage and sabotage of its operations, effectively immune to prosecution thanks to John-Caleb Bradberton's ties with the government and the military.
==Variants==
Numerous variants of the Nuka-Cola were introduced, offering different flavors and taste profiles. Joining classic Nuka-Cola, alternative fruit-flavored beverages were instant success.Nuka-World loading screens: "Nuka-Cola introduced fruit-flavored beverages such as Nuka-Cherry, Nuka-Grape and Nuka-Orange only a few short years after the corporation was founded. They were an instant success."
==Behind the scenes==
* In the Fallout 4 intro, Nate's great-great grandmother is seen sitting beside a bottle of Nuka-Cola in 1945, despite it not being invented until 2044.
* During Free Range in Fallout 76, one of the brahmin may be named "Nuka-Cowla."
==Gallery==
Nuka-ColaLogoHorizontalCurved-w-Hyphen.png|Official Nuka-Cola logotype 1 (from Fallout 3/Fallout: New Vegas)
Nuka-ColaLogoHorizontalCurved-no-Hyphen.png|Official Nuka-Cola logotype 1.2 (from Fallout 3/Fallout: New Vegas)
Nuka-ColaLogoVerticalThickLine.png|Official Nuka-Cola logotype 3 (from Fallout 4/Fallout 76)
VB Nuka Cola Logo.png|Nuka-Cola logotype from Van Buren
NukaBreak.png|A Nuka-Cola billboard in Fallout 3.
Nuka-Cola.jpg|A Nuka-Cola Cherry billboard in Kansas City
Canyon City Nuka Plant.png|Canyon City Nuka-Cola Bottling Plant
Nuka-Cola Truck2.png|Nuka-Cola Truck in Fallout Tactics.
FoT Nuka-Cola Truck.png
FoT Nuka-Cola Cherry.png|A Nuka-Cola Cherry billboard in Newton
Quantum label.png|Nuka-Cola Quantum label
FoS Nuka-Cola quantum.png|Nuka-Cola Quantum icon in Fallout Shelter
Nuka-Cola ad pre-trailer.png
Empty Nuka-Cola Bottle.png|Empty bottle, Fallout 3/Fallout: New Vegas style
Nuka Cola bottle.png|Empty bottle, Fallout 4 style
FO4 Nuka Cola rocket shape poster.jpg|Fallout 4 advertisement
FO4 Nuka Cola Red Rocket billboard.jpg |Fallout 4 advertisement
Nuka-Cola Corporation.png
F76 Kanawha Nuka Cola Poster 5.png|Fallout 76 advertisement
F76 Kanawha Nuka Cola Poster 1.png
F76 Kanawha Nuka Cola Poster 3.png
Fo76 Nuka Cola Cranberry billboard.png|Appalachia's cranberry variant
Fo76 Nuka Cola Cranberry billboard3.jpg|
Fallout Magic Food (survival) token.png|Magic: The Gathering token (Food)
Fallout Magic Mechanized Production.png|Magic: The Gathering card
Fallout Magic Mechanized Production Extended Art.png|Extended Art
Fallout Magic Mechanized Production art.jpg|Card art
Fallout Magic Mechanized Production art Behind the scenes.jpg|Behind the scenes
;Game assets
FO4 Nuka Cola rocket shape poster.jpg|Fallout 4 advertisement
FO4 Nuka Cola Red Rocket billboard.jpg |Fallout 4 advertisement
Fo76 Nuka Cola Cranberry billboard.png|Appalachia's cranberry variant
Fo76 Nuka Cola Cranberry billboard3.jpg
Empty Nuka-Cola Bottle.png|Empty bottle, Fallout 3/Fallout: New Vegas style
Nuka Cola bottle.png|Empty bottle, Fallout 4 style
Canned Nuka-Cola.png|Canned
Nuka-coladecal.png|Icon texture file
AdNukaCola02 d.png|Texture file
Promotional items
Real Nuka-Cola Bottle.jpg|A photo of the bottle prop given out at E3 2008
Nuka-Cola Mini Bottles Bethesda Merchandise.jpg|Bethesda Store Merchandise: Nuka-Cola Mini Bottle Series 2, including Quartz, Cherry, Mix, Orange and Grape variantsBethesda Store Nuka-Cola Mini Bottle Series 2 Collector's Bundle: "Don't waste precious time wandering the wastelands looking for some of your favorite Nuka-Cola flavors. Now you can grab the entire collection of mini Nuka-Cola replicas for your FALLOUT collection. This release of mini Nuka flavored replicas includes Cherry, Orange, Grape, Quartz and Nuka Mix!!"
==References==
 
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