Coca-Cola CEO Henrique Braun says he is not bothered by the viral «fridge cigarette» nickname that has attached itself to Diet Coke over the past year. In an interview with Yahoo Finance, Braun said consumers are free to describe the drink however they want, while the company's focus remains on how the product is marketed.
Asked whether he liked the nickname, Braun said consumers call the drink what they choose. «The most important thing to us is that we don't position Diet Coke in that way,» he said, adding that the brand is «a great tasting product which connects with the consumer in a very unique way.» Braun also pointed to Coca-Cola's growing use of social media and digital technology and artificial intelligence in its plans and in communication with consumers, though he did not directly tie those efforts to the nickname. He said the company is «really excited about the prospects of growth.»
The company's latest quarterly earnings report, released October 27, showed that global sales volume for Diet Coke and Coca-Cola Light rose 6% in the third quarter of 2026, driven by growth in North America and Asia Pacific. The brands also recorded volume growth of 6% in the first quarter and 7% in the second quarter, following a year of flat global volume in 2025.
The nickname has also prompted questions about the habits behind the drink's popularity. Jonathan Alpert, a New York City-based psychotherapist, previously told Fox News Digital that the appeal is partly sensory, pointing to the crisp sound, carbonation and cold temperature, which he said offer a quick burst of stimulation or relief during stressful moments. He described Diet Coke as a possible «emotional stand-in» but cautioned against relying on it as a coping mechanism. While he said soda is «certainly a healthier choice than cigarettes,» he warned that daily reliance on it can reinforce dependency patterns, particularly when used to manage anxiety or suppress appetite.
Debra Muth, a Wisconsin-based naturopathic doctor, has expressed concern about the effects of artificial sweeteners on the brain's reward system. She told Fox News Digital that the brain is seeking dopamine rather than aspartame or nicotine, and argued that replacing cigarettes with soda amounts to «trading one bad habit for another.» Coca-Cola has not publicly responded to these health claims in the material available, and Fox News Digital reached out to the company for comment.