Ever heard of Texas Stepper?

[digdug]

I was reading a magazine article from 1975 on Dr Pepper. It mentions a Dr Pepper imitator called Texas Stepper. I had never heard of it. The article said that Coca-Cola had something to do with Texas Stepper. I can't find anything out about it.
Has anyone heard of it, seen a bottle, can or bottle cap for it? Post some photos. Now, I have a new bottle to look for.
Thanks

 

[epackage]

Hi DD, I'm assuming it's this paragraph in the article that got your attention...

"Jumping into Japan was like waving a red flag," says Richard McStay, formerly research director at Atlanta’s M. Irby & Co., a securities firm. "To Coke, Japan is motherhood, virginity, apple pie or anything you want to call it. All along Coke had been saying, ’Don’t mess with Japan, fellows.’"
While Dr Pepper was busy signing up Coke bottlers, Coke was busy concocting a brand new soft drink made of herbs, spices and fruit juices, plus the obligatory ingredients of sugar, carbonated water and caramel coloring. The drink, which tasted remarkably like Dr Pepper, was named Mr. PiBB, an obvious effort to stem the rising tide of Dr Pepper’s national sales. (Back when Dr Pepper was content with regional marketing Coke tried twice to introduce a competitor. Both drinks, Texas Stepper and Chime, failed about 1960 after some small-scale Texas test marketing.) Announced in late June, 1972, Mr. PiBB’s purpose was to offer a product similar to Dr Pepper which Coke bottlers could sell to the "Dr Pepper taste market" without actually selling Dr Pepper. Now those Coke bottlers who had defected to Dr Pepper could return to a line of all Coca-Cola products.


I wonder if it ever got bottled in it's own bottle or if it was made and bottled in bottles they already had and just taste tested somewhere, Good luck in your search...Jim

 

[celerycola]

A couple of the Dr. Pepper copycats around 1910 were Peppo-Phate sold by Atlanta based Afri-Kola and Deacon Brown which originated in Waco and moved to Alabama in some sort of swap for the Dr. Pepper plant there. Both were advertised nationally for years.

 

[jays emporium]

I have been collecting bottles for over 40 years in Texas and have not heard of Texas Stepper. If it was sold in bottles it must have been very limited or paper label and must not have been successful. If anyone has a picture of a bottle please post it so I know what to look for.
Jay