Love this article that recently ran on the Fast Company website about metaphor and Diet Coke. A fast-spreading trend on TikTok is people describing Diet Coke as their “fridge cigarette” — a moment of renewal and escape during a hectic day.
Someone equated a mid-afternoon Diet Coke break as the Gen Z equivalent of a cigarette break. And, apparently, that’s exactly what it is to a lot of people. The original video that made the comparison has been viewed 3.5 million times. Even the New York Times is discussing it.
This illustrates how metaphors work. They highlight certain things while glossing over other things. While Diet Coke takes the edge off, much like a cigarette does, it isn’t going to give you lung cancer, burn your carpet, or make you smell like an incinerator. Somehow if you hit the right metaphor, people instantly know exactly what you mean – and what you don’t mean.
One also wonders what, if anything, the brand will do with this. It’s a fascinating idea, but most brands wouldn’t want to associate themselves overtly with smoking. It might be a metaphor best left in the hands of consumers.