Coca-Cola CEO pushes back on Diet Coke fridge cigarette nickname
Henrique Braun says the company does not position Diet Coke as a fridge cigarette after the term went viral on TikTok.
Coca-Cola CEO Henrique Braun responded to the viral fridge cigarette nickname for Diet Coke in a Yahoo Finance interview, saying the most important thing is that the company does not position Diet Coke that way. He added that consumers can call it what they want but emphasized it is a great-tasting product that connects with consumers in a unique way.
The term fridge cigarette gained traction with Gen Z through a TikTok video from creator Rachel Reno in June 2025 that drew millions of views. The video showed someone calling Diet Coke a fridge cigarette, capturing the ritual of cracking open an ice-cold can. Merriam-Webster defines fridge cigarette as a cold, refreshing, and addictive soft drink, especially used to refer to Diet Coke.
The nickname resurfaces as Diet Coke shows strong performance in North America. Braun told Yahoo Finance that Diet Coke and Coca-Cola Zero both grew volumes by double digits in North America during the third quarter, while overall North American unit case volume remained flat.
The viral moment comes as Diet Coke finds new cultural relevance with younger consumers who are creating their own language and rituals around the product.
Source: inc.com
