Considering 7UP has been around for nearly a century, it can be safely assumed that the brand has been successful. However, almost every brand has a dark chapter, and one particular product that 7UP produced was a massive failure.

The companies that owned 7UP and Dr. Pepper merged in 1986, and the new conglomerate wanted to use a previously abandoned recipe developed at Dr. Pepper. This led to 7UP Gold releasing in 1988, and the drink was dark in color, caffeinated, and marketed as a "spice-flavored soda."

In 1989, the company's then-president, Roger Easley, stated that "People have a clear view of what 7UP products should be — clear and crisp and clean, and no caffeine.” Since the new soda didn’t fit those parameters, Gold disappeared off shelves less than a year after its debut.