For as long as we can remember, there has always been a conflict between Pepsi and Coke for the better soda brand. People mark themselves as being loyal to either one company or the other. But really, which
one is better? Especially since we learned that sugary drinks might not be that great for you in the first place, which one is worth taking a health risk?
Let’s look at the concrete nutrition facts first. Both facts were obtained from the companies’ own websites and were measured as a 12 oz can. Coke has 140 calories, 45 grams of sodium, and 39 grams of sugar (http://productnutrition.thecoca-colacompany.com/). Pepsi has 150 calories, 30 grams of sodium, and 41 grams of sugar (Pepsico Beverage Facts). Besides the difference in sodium, there really are few nutritional differences between the two. So why are people so adamant about their particular brand?
Psychology suggests that marketing has a stronger pull on consumers than actual consumption of the drink. This article discusses the Pepsi Paradox: even though Pepsi wins in blind taste tests, it cannot compete against Coke because Coke embodies a brand that people have come to love. It even shows the retro 1980s taste test commercial that Pepsi aired showing Pepsi won blind taste tests. This same article explores a study with a blind and non-blind taste test. Pepsi won the blind taste test and stimulated a part of the brain associated with processing different flavors, the ventral putamen. However, in a non-blind taste test, Coke won, which means it would win on the market, because it creates a reaction in the medial prefrontal cortex associated with processing ads.
*Additional note: it should be noticed that the blind taste test, an observational study, announced Pepsi as the winner. However, the test was promoted by Pepsi so there is inevitable bias. However, I believe if the results did not go their way, they would simply not publish them, hence the file drawer problem. Yet the bias of the company conducting the survey should be taken into account. Since this has been brought to the attention of the public, other individual groups have tried out there own taste tests. For example: http://www.thedailymeal.com/coke-versus-pepsi-taste-testing-brands-slideshow
Looking at Coke’s website, they have put a lot of time into dedicating part of their website to their advertising journey so viewers can feel nostalgic and remember the loyalty they feel to the company. We even perceive Santa as a fat man in a red and white suit bec
ause Coca-Cola pictured him that way in an ad to match his colors to the colors of their product. PepsiCo’s advertising page is comparatively more bland and does not have the same pride or desire to connect to their audience through past images and marketing techniques.
As a PR major, I find this extremely fascinating that it does not have to be the product but rather how you present the product that can promote it to number one. Lastly, I’ll end with this quote from Leonard Mlodinow, author of Subliminal: How Your Unconscious Mind Rules Your Behavior: “It is that what is true of beverages and brands is also true of the other ways we experience the social world. Our brains employ far more than direct, explicit data on products (or people) to create our mental experience. They key word here is “create”. Our brains are not recording experiences, they are creating them. ”
This was interesting to read simply because I am one of those people that prefer Coke over Pepsi any day! My family was actually just visiting this weekend from New York and I requested for them to bring a 12 pack of Coke with them because I literally could not find it anywhere around here! (Obviously because of the contract with Pepsi) Anyhow, what you said about people actually preferring Coke because of its advertisement made me really contemplate whether or not i actually taste the difference and whether it’s significant enough for me to say that I am “loyal” to coke..
I looked into Coca Cola commercials and could not get enough of the beauty in this one so i decided i would share!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=443Vy3I0gJs
This is such an interesting topic. I have always known that most people prefer Coke to Pepsi, something that is just generally understood. The blind taste test, however, shocks me because even though Pepsi won the competition, it made no difference at all; people still prefer Coke. If the labels were removed in stores and supermarkets, and the taste and nutrition facts were the only things that mattered, Pepsi would likely be the more popular brand. The advertising is the only thing that matters in this rivalry, but it is so surprising that a brand name can have such an impact. Pepsi is slightly healthier and supposedly tastes better, but their advertising just doesn’t make you feel warm and happy the way that Coke does. How many times have you been in a restaurant and asked for Coke, but they say they only have Pepsi? Doesn’t it always feel a little disappointing? This article (http://www.businessinsider.com/coca-cola-vs-pepsi-timeline-2013-1?op=1) gives a timeline of both brands and shows how they’ve both competed over the years from an interesting perspective. Great post!!
This is a really interesting topic! Honestly, since I’m not really a big soda drinker I usually just shake off the Coke v. Pepsi war and go about my daily life. Yet, now that I think of it the psychological aspect of why we choose the one opposed to the other, is very interesting! When you look at the caloric and health facts, the differences in calories are made up for in the differences in the sodium count and vise versa. They really are the same thing, but I do agree with you when you say that the way they’re presented plays a huge role in whether or not people will be team Coke or team Pepsi. Personally, when I think of Pepsi, I think of a modern apartment owned a huge Wall Street (or some other major company head) Guru, that includes the latest models of basically every bit of technology. Those apartments are usually considered sleek, and high tech. To me, those apartments, like Pepsi, lack any inviting aspect. They’re cold, empty, and geared towards being the latest and greatest, which Pepsi accurately depicts through their advertising page that you posted. (Thank you for doing so, because the comparison is very interesting to see!) Coke, on the other hand, appears to be an old historic home with a fire blazing in the fire place, just like it has been doing for the past 50 years. Coke does provide familiarity, and comfort. The warm colors and even Santa make it much more inviting and personable. They don’t appear to be selling a product, but an old past time. They appear more about the holistic aspect of life, while the Pepsi page comes off as more focused towards monetary gain. Maybe I’m just thinking too much into this due to the fact that I too am a Public Relations major, but the evidence is pretty clear. For a non soda drinker, Coke definitely would be the one I would drink if I did drink soda. Thank you so much for presenting this topic, I found it really interesting and thought provoking!
This is interesting to me because I am a strong lover of coke as oppose to pepsi. Not just because over the years coke has embodied a brand that I have come to love, but because the taste is simply more appealing to me than pepsi. I have never gotten a chance to take coke vs. pepsi blind fold test but if I did I bet I could easily tell the difference. I definitely agree that maybe the way Coca-Cola advertises it’s product is more appealing to the audience than pepsi does and I agree that that may be a huge reason to why Coca-Cola is more popular, but it also contributes to taste and what the buyer enjoys more! It’s interesting to see the difference in calories and sodium and grams of sugar because that can make or break one’s decision in purchasing coke or pepsi. I personally feel as though if I am going to drink soda, I might as well drink the better tasting one. Here is an article displaying more about this topic. Good job!