Syrup (1999)

Syrup is a 1999 novel by Max Barry. Written under the pen name Maxx Barry, the novel satirizes American consumerism and corporate marketing strategies. It was adapted into the 2013 film Syrup.

Plot

Scat, a fresh marketing graduate, invents a new Coca-Cola product called 'Fukk'. He tries to sell his idea to the company for $3 million, but discovers his roommate and friend Sneaky Pete has already claimed the trademark. This leads Scat to move out of their shared apartment and stay with Cindy, his on-and-off girlfriend. She eventually kicks him out, and he ends up living with 6, a marketing executive, and Tina, her film student roommate. Scat leads the summer marketing campaign for Coca-Cola and makes it a success. He then attempts to thwart Sneaky Pete from sabotaging his next project for Coca-Cola: the first ever feature-length advertising film.

Coca-Cola BlāK

In 2006, Coca-Cola introduced a coffee-flavored soft drink called Coca-Cola BlāK, first released in France in a black can. Barry commented on the similarities of this and his novel’s fictional Coca-Cola Fukk on his blog.

Release details

1999, UK, Viking Press (ISBN 0-670-88640-8), Pub date ? July 1999, hardback (First edition)

2000, UK, Penguin Books (ISBN 0-14-029187-3), Pub date ? July 2000, paperback