Coca-Cola has been around for years and many loyal consumers have associated the brand with positive past memories. Loyal brand consumers may associate it with holidays, parties, graduation, playing a sport with friends, first date, seeing a movie, etc. When Coke decided to change its product they did not realize that millions of loyal consumers have associated the taste with a positive fond memory...something that they do not want to let go.
Less loyal consumers have not associated Coca-Cola with a fond memory so these consumers should not be as upset and should be able to adjust to a different kind of Cola. The less loyal consumers are still brand loyal to the company, and should be able to adjust to a different kind of Coke, but they did not associate a type of fond memory to it so it will not feel like part of their memories is gone.
I do believe it's possible for consumers to be loyal to more then one brand of soft drink. For example, I am a loyal Pepsi drinker. But I also drink birch Beer Soda. Every time I go to a fair I usually purchase a birch soda. Before my mother past away, she would take me to the local Bloomsburg Fair every. We would usually purchase a birch soda and talk around the fair together. I associated this positive fond memory of my mother and me at the fair with birch soda. If I am not at a fair, I usually only drink Pepsi. So, I am loyal to more then one brand of soft drink.
I think it is possible for consumers to be brand loyal to more then one brand of cola. If we compare the two brands Pepsi and Coke.