Coca-Cola or Pepsi: Compare and Contrast

Ashlee Toledo

Professor Johnson

English 1301

November 13th, 2015

Coca-Cola or Pepsi: Which Refreshes Your Thirst

There are a variety of beverages available to us today with a wide range of differences, some are flavored, carbonated, low calorie, energy boosters, and just plain water. When it comes down to cola soft drinks, there are two major rivalry soda companies dominating the market. Coca-Cola and Pepsi are two well know cola distributors with undoubted history, but the question still remains one is America’s favorite? With the ongoing competition between Coca-Cola and Pepsi, each company is incorporating new strategies for marketing and advertising their brands. When comparing an advertisement from each of the companies, we will review how they appeal to consumers. 

Branding and advertisement are how a company sells themselves to consumers and in order to be at the top of the market, both companies must be strategic with their advertising. Pepsi was introduced in 1893 by Caleb Bradham as “Brads Drink” which then was renamed to “Pepsi Cola” in 1898. There weren't many options for advertising in this era due to television not being introduced into households until the late 1900s. One of the first Pepsi Cola advertisements was a black-and-white flyer that had a few characters laughing and read “Whoope!!! Zoom!! Drink Pepsi-Cola." When comparing this ad with a current ad and modern technology, you can see that Pepsi’s marketing and advertising techniques have come a long way. Reviewing a recent Pepsi advertisement, you can see that they have made groundbreaking changes to their branding techniques. First, I will note that their choices in colors (red, blue, and white) for their brand are not only eye popping, but in a way symbolize the colors of America. I am not sure if this was their intent, but it sure does stand out. Next, their slogan in the ad states “Help Kick Off The Pepsi Super Bowl Halftime Show," this ad targets a very large group of people...