COLA WARS:
the endless battle between two American icons,
the incredible marketing campaigns they ran,
and the really bad idea that invoked the Coke protests of 1985
A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN COKE AND PEPSI,
BEGINNING WITH THE EVENTS OF WORLD WAR I
AND LEADING UP TO THE 1980's:
WORLD WAR I: Sugar, Sugar
- 1914: World War I begins. Coca-Cola is experiencing a fairly comfortable level of success and popularity.
- Pepsi-Cola, on the other hand, is barely a competitor, not really even registering on Coke's radar at this point. - As the war begins, sugar prices skyrocket. Fearing a continued increase in prices, Pepsi-Cola buys a ton of sugar. - And just as suddenly as they rose, sugar prices drop dramatically. Pepsi-Cola is basically out of business. Go Coke! |
PROHIBITION: Pepsi doubles the ounces
- As alcohol is outlawed, soda fountains sales rise.
- Coca-Cola is incredibly popular.
- Pepsi-Cola gains some momentum when they buy up a bunch of 12oz beer bottles and start selling twice as much product as their competitors
for the same price.
- Coca-Cola is incredibly popular.
- Pepsi-Cola gains some momentum when they buy up a bunch of 12oz beer bottles and start selling twice as much product as their competitors
for the same price.
WORLD WAR II: Sugar, Sugar, part 2
- World War II begins, and, worried about sugar rations, Coca-Cola strikes up a deal with the US Government.
- Somehow, Coke convinces the government that Coca-Cola is a "wartime necessity," and secures the right to basically be the official soft drink of the American war efforts.
- Coke is soon being shipped wherever there's an American GI - literally all over the world.
- Because Coke is being supplied to the government, it does not have to comply with any sugar rations.
- This move had an unintended advantage, too, in that American soldiers soon became quite emotionally attached and devoted to Coke.
- The devotion people feel to Coke during and after the war solidifies Coca-Cola as the soft drink of choice for an entire generation.
- Somehow, Coke convinces the government that Coca-Cola is a "wartime necessity," and secures the right to basically be the official soft drink of the American war efforts.
- Coke is soon being shipped wherever there's an American GI - literally all over the world.
- Because Coke is being supplied to the government, it does not have to comply with any sugar rations.
- This move had an unintended advantage, too, in that American soldiers soon became quite emotionally attached and devoted to Coke.
- The devotion people feel to Coke during and after the war solidifies Coca-Cola as the soft drink of choice for an entire generation.
50's, 60's, and 70's: A new way to market to a new generation
- Pepsi sees that Coke has an incredibly devoted following among adults and older generations.
- Pepsi then decides to basically ignore the older, Coke-loving people, and market their product exclusively at their children.
- Pepsi also takes full advantage of television as a new way to advertise.
- Commercials start being less about the product and more about the kind of person who buys the product.
- Pepsi then decides to basically ignore the older, Coke-loving people, and market their product exclusively at their children.
- Pepsi also takes full advantage of television as a new way to advertise.
- Commercials start being less about the product and more about the kind of person who buys the product.
Even moving from the 50's and 60's into the 70's, Pepsi is still pushing the idea that Pepsi drinkers are youthful, adventurous, motivated, and fun. The "New Generation." The Pepsi Generation.
Coca-Cola realizes that they need to gain some attention amongst younger consumers, and creates what may be the most iconic television commercial of all time.
In 1975, Pepsi begins conducting a series of taste tests called The Pepsi Challenge as a part of a marketing campaign. Those who participated in the taste tests overwhelmingly preferred the taste of Pepsi.
THE 1980's: Even newer New Generations, and....New Coke
- For the first time ever, Pepsi sales had caught up with Coke, even surpassing Coke sales in some areas of the country.
- Pepsi's market share was only 3 percentage points behind Coke.
- Coca-Cola is starting to panic.
- In 1983, Michael Jackson signs a 5 million dollar deal with Pepsi.
- The deal involved MJ shooting two commercials and participating in some kind of press conference, and Pepsi provided sponsorship for his tour.
- During the filming of the second commercial, pyrotechnics caught Jackson's hair on fire, resulting in severe burns to his face and body.
- Pepsi's market share was only 3 percentage points behind Coke.
- Coca-Cola is starting to panic.
- In 1983, Michael Jackson signs a 5 million dollar deal with Pepsi.
- The deal involved MJ shooting two commercials and participating in some kind of press conference, and Pepsi provided sponsorship for his tour.
- During the filming of the second commercial, pyrotechnics caught Jackson's hair on fire, resulting in severe burns to his face and body.
- In 1985, Coca-Cola's patriarch, Robert Woodruff, passed away. He was 95 years old, and had been president of the company since 1923.
- The new leader of the company, Robert Guizueta, had different ideas about how the company should react to the harsh competition with Pepsi. - Guizueta decides that the thing Coke really needs to do is change the formula for Coke. And they do. |
Pepsi declared a holiday, and took advantage of the situation with some brilliant commercials.
- Just 79 days after releasing New Coke, the old formula is reintroduced as Coca-Cola Classic.
- The new formula is continued to produced for a little while under the name Coca-Cola, and later called Coke II.
Coke II is no longer sold in the US.
- The new formula is continued to produced for a little while under the name Coca-Cola, and later called Coke II.
Coke II is no longer sold in the US.
Sources
www.dawn.com/news/1329368
time.com/3882313/mad-men-finale-coke-ad/
www.coca-colacompany.com/stories/coke-lore-new-coke
money.cnn.com/2018/02/20/news/companies/cola-wars-coke-pepsi/index.html
www.businessinsider.com/soda-wars-coca-cola-pepsi-history-infographic-2011-11#both-brands-have-made-tons-of-changes-to-their-logos-throughout-their-histories-neither-look-anything-like-they-did-originally-16
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tz-47sI-AYM&t=44s
www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6t7deaplgY&t=179s
www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOKnXZK0apE&t=2120s
mentalfloss.com/article/85231/fizzled-out-new-coke-protests-1985
www.nytimes.com/1985/08/20/business/new-coke-vs-classic-the-verdict-is-still-out.html
time.com/3882313/mad-men-finale-coke-ad/
www.coca-colacompany.com/stories/coke-lore-new-coke
money.cnn.com/2018/02/20/news/companies/cola-wars-coke-pepsi/index.html
www.businessinsider.com/soda-wars-coca-cola-pepsi-history-infographic-2011-11#both-brands-have-made-tons-of-changes-to-their-logos-throughout-their-histories-neither-look-anything-like-they-did-originally-16
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tz-47sI-AYM&t=44s
www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6t7deaplgY&t=179s
www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOKnXZK0apE&t=2120s
mentalfloss.com/article/85231/fizzled-out-new-coke-protests-1985
www.nytimes.com/1985/08/20/business/new-coke-vs-classic-the-verdict-is-still-out.html