With an eclectic selection of tattoos already scattered across her body, friends and family were ‘fairly unfazed’ when Morgan Shively revealed her latest ink: a delicately designed bouquet of flowers sprouting from an illustrated Diet Coke can.
‘I definitely had a brief “oh wow, am I really doing this?” moment on tattoo day, but it passed pretty quickly,’ the 31-year-old tells Metro.
‘A friend sent me a graphic that she saw online because she knows how much I love Diet Coke, and it immediately stuck with me. I kept thinking about it and asking myself: “Do I love this enough to put it on my body forever?” and the answer kept coming back as yes.’
Morgan represents just one fan within a mighty fandom that have taken their love for that crisp fizzy elixir to the next level.
While you might not be one yourself, you know that they’re out there: girlies hoarding cans under their beds, mums taking their own supply on holiday, or anxious colleagues instating to management that a Diet Coke fridge in the office is necessary for a productive work environment.
These warriors defend not just a flavour palette, but a lifestyle — an aesthetic that even the most loyal Coke Zero fans covet.
One thing that’s for sure when it comes to a Diet Coke fan, they declare their love loudly.
Once you’re a DC person, you don’t look back
While normal Coca Cola might dominate the financial market, holding a global brand value of around £74 million compared to DC’s £5.8 million, the latter drinkers definitely win when it comes to dedication.
While some people might not understand Morgan’s decision, she doesn’t regret it one bit: ‘I’m so glad I didn’t talk myself out of it because now it is genuinely one of, if not my very favourite, tattoos.’
The TikTok creator tells me: ‘I actually grew up in a Diet Pepsi household, so I didn’t discover my love of Diet Coke until my early 20s, but once I did, there was no going back. Now I’m one of those girls who orders a Diet Coke at a restaurant, gets the “Is Diet Pepsi okay?” question, and immediately says, “No thanks, I’ll just have water”.’
Morgan reveals what initially started off as a ‘silly idea’ turned into a ‘piece of true artwork,’ all with the help of her tattoo artist Matt McKelvey.
‘When I first reached out, I learned that Matt was a Diet Coke girly too, which felt like fate. It ended up being the perfect mix of humour and a beautiful design.’
Morgan had no way to predict that others would be so fond of her design decision.
She jokes: ‘The biggest reaction has honestly been from strangers stopping me in the street to tell me how much they love the tattoo. I definitely didn’t expect that kind of response.’
When Mason Joshua Leggatt first tried Diet Coke aged 18, it was love at first sip.
Gagged to share more, the 32-year-old Londoner shares: ‘I was at my friends house after work and usually I opt for squash or water to which none was on hand. We had just ordered a Chinese and I was GASPING for a sugary drink. She asked if I liked ‘fizzy pop’ (which I just assumed meant lemonade or Fanta) so I said yeah of course!
‘She opened the freezer (I was very confused) and pulled out a glass, I was in shock but also so intrigued. She then reached into the fridge and pulled out a CAN of Diet Coke (bottles just don’t hit the same).
‘She popped in crushed ice and a fat lime wedge and passed it over to me. I took my first sip of it and knew immediately I was hooked. Not only was it crisp and cold, it was also hitting every single spot that a drink needs to, cold, fizzy, thirst quenching….. it was truly magical.’
In his twenties, Mason scrubbed that dirty deliciousness from his brain. He’d got a job as a dental nurse, where fizzy drinks were frowned upon, so only sipped his beloved on rare occasions behind closed doors.
Thankfully, he’s now switched careers, becoming a brands partnership and business development manager. His teeth may not thank him, but his ‘secret love affair’ with DC is finally out in the open.
An exclusive merch collab with Diet Coke…Ok!
Tattoos and spiritual experiences might be one thing, but TikToker Kristen Hollingshaus recently took her obsession with Diet Coke one step further — officially launching an exclusive merch collaboration with the brand.
If you visit Kristen’s Instagram page, you’ll immediately see that the first line of her bio reads ‘Diet Coke girl.’ And if there was on individual online who’s deserving of this title — it’s Kristen.
The influencer has been posting about her love for Diet Coke for almost three years now, sharing the best spots for fountain DC with her followers and regularly recording her routine ‘Diet Coke break’ during her lunch hour.
The creator tells Metro: ‘My Diet Coke origin story is kind of funny. Growing up, my parents never had soda in the home, and definitely not caffeine. I would only have soda on special occasions like birthdays or celebrations.
‘When I was 16, I went to visit my sister who is older than me and she had Diet Coke in her fridge. It felt somewhat rebellious to try one, so I did. From that moment forward, I was obsessed! I ended up working at a soda shop in college and have always had an affinity for the brand since.’
Kristen’s love for the brand was already clear, but things got even more serious when she started posting about her iconic at-home Diet Coke soda fountain. It amplified Kristen’s deep personal romance with the DC universe, a connection that’s grown from strength to strength ever since.
Explaining the motivation behind purchasing the machine, Kristen explained: ‘I was spending a lot of time and effort getting fountain Diet Coke’s at various places in San Francisco (it’s not easy to come by in this city!) and I decided to research them. I was finding that nearly no one had a fountain in their home, and anyone that did, there wasn’t a lot of information on them. I decided to be a guinea pig if you will and buy a fountain and share the behind the scenes and cost, setup, etc.’
If you’re looking for some of the most knowledgeable and loyal Diet Coke fans online, all you need to do is take a look at one of Kristen’s comment sections.
From someone claiming to be a ‘former Coca Cola technician’ to someone whose parents have a ‘six flavour soda machine,’ these are the big leagues.
What's the perfect Diet Coke recipe?
Dua Lipa might like her Diet Coke mixed with pickle and jalapeño juice, but others prefer it plain and simple – appreciating that untouched chemical flavouring.
Morgan is a fuss-free girl: ‘I know people get very passionate about their “perfect” Diet Coke (especially the McDonald’s crowd), but I’m simple. My ideal setup is just a super cold, crispy can straight from my fridge. Nothing frilly, just that first crispy sip.’
There are others, however, like Mason, who have pretty specific preferences: ‘My personal Diet Coke recipe is usually the same when I’m at home and it goes as follows: Frosted glass (chilled in the freezer for 30 mins, pebble ice or the smallest ice possible, sachet of true lime OR squirt of lime juice with a fresh lime wedge to garnish, then a Diet Coke that has been marinating in the fridge for 24 hours (preferably towards the back of the fridge so you get the little ice shards in the top).
Kristen‘s marination process kicks things up just a notch or two…: ‘I would say my true ideal Diet Coke is either a fountain Diet Coke or a can that has been properly marinated in the refrigerator for at LEAST 10 days. The longer the can has been in the fridge, the colder and crispier it is. I then pour a True Lime packet in, which is simply crystallized lime. It’s delish!’
A fandom doesn’t have to be toxic
One of the things that keeps the Diet Coke fandom alive is this collective sense of humour. A Diet Coke girly keeps things light, she’s here for a teehee. And while she might judge your Dr Pepper order, know that she only means well.
While the Coca Cola name is often criticised for its role in environmental issues or its involvement in humanitarian causes, it often feels as though Diet Coke as a cultural brand has untouched by this negative press
Metro spoke with Gayle Stever, a Professor of Psychology at Empire State University, about this.
‘People have differing ways of dealing with their cognitive dissonance,’ Gayle begins. ‘If you have two firmly held beliefs and they are in conflict, the mind often tries to change one or the other. So “Diet Coke is my favorite brand” is in conflict with “Diet Coke is not an environmentally friendly brand.”
Gayle goes on: ‘To resolve this, people will discount one thing or the other as being less important. So, if the person is really loyal to the brand, they will discount the environmental information as either being flawed, overstated, or not relevant for some reason. People do this all the time when deciding their relationship to brands, political candidates, or other public entities.’
When asked about her thoughts on this, Morgan shared: ‘I think it’s important for big brands to be held accountable and to do better, and I try to stay aware of those conversations as a consumer.’
She added: ‘My love of Diet Coke is very lighthearted and personal, but I still strongly think that transparency and responsible practices from companies matter.’
Mason and Kristen also both talk a lot about a DC girly ‘romanticising life,’ something that feels on-theme with what Gayle discusses.
Navigating relationships with brands nowadays feels more challenging than ever.
But while Coca Cola might be battling its own controversies, from everything we can see online — the DC fandom lives on, and it isn’t slowing down anytime soon.
