7Up Timeline

1868: Charles Leiper Grigg is born in Price's Branch, Missouri. He is born an albino.

1919: Grigg is working at a manufacturing company while he invents his first drink, Whistle.

1920: C.L. Grigg founds the Howdy Company in St. Louis, Missouri and begins selling the Howdy Orange Drink.

Oct. 1929: Just weeks before the U.S. Stock Market Crash, Grigg introduces Bib-Label Lithiated Lemon-Lime Soda. It contains lithium citrate (hence the word "lithiated") which happens to be a new health fad at the time. One doctor gives a testimonial about the new drink, saying that it gives "an abundance of energy, enthusiasm, a clear complexion, lustrous hair, and shining eyes."

1930s: The name Bib-Label Lithiated Lemon-Lime Soda is shortened to 7Up Lithiated Lemon-Lime.

1936: Grigg chanes the company name from The Howdy Company to The Seven-Up Company. The soda's name is changed to 7Up or Seven Up. The new slogan is "You Like It, It Likes You".

Late 1940s: 7UP is the third best-selling soft drink in the world.

1950: Lithium is removed from 7Up.

1957: 7Up begins advertising on TV.

1961: The Coca-Cola Company introduces Sprite to compete with 7Up.

1963: Releases a diet version, called Like.

1967: Begins marketing 7Up as "The Uncola" because it does not contain caffeine like other colas. The marketing campaign causes sales of 7Up to soar.

1970: Sugar-Free 7Up is introduced.

1975: Is the first company to market its soda in one liter bottles. Markets them with the slogan, "Follow the liter."

June 1978: The Philip Morris Company acquires The Seven Up Company.

1979: Sugar-Free 7Up is renamed Diet 7Up.

1986: Philip Morris sells the domestic operations of The Seven-Up Company to a private investment group and the company merges with the Dr Pepper Company.

1987: Cherry 7Up and Diet Cherry 7Up debut on the market.

1987: The mascot Spot is born, inspired by the red dot in the soda's logo.

1995: Cadbury Schweppes, now the third largest soft drink company in the world, buys out the Dr Pepper/7 Up company.

July 1996: The company changes its name to Dr Pepper/Seven Up, Inc. Later that year, they adopt the new slogan, "7 UP. It's An Up Thing."

1999: An advertising campaign featuring Orlando Jones debuts with the slogan, "Make 7 UP Yours".

2002: The successful "Make 7 UP Yours" campaign continues with comedian Godfrey as the bumbling spokesperson.

2002: dnL is introducted. It is the 7Up name reversed. The product, which contains caffeine and is green in color, is meant to compete with Mountain Dew.

2004: 7Up Plus is introduced. It contains calcium, vitamin C, real fruit juice and the artificial sweetener, Splenda.

Aug. 29, 2005: Ads for 7Up Plus begin airing, featuring Desperate Housewives stars Marcia Cross and Nicolette Sheridan. The ad spot, called "Supermarket Showdown," features the women trying to one-up each other as they load large quantities of 7Up Plus into their shopping carts.