onquered the market by cleverly adding music to How Music its marketing mix.
Let’s rewind to the beginning
When the city of Atlanta, America, imposed a ban on alcohol in 1886, a man named Pemberton decided to mix his syrup with carbonated water. He created a non-alcoholic soft drink. The result was Dr. John S. Pemberton’s Soda, later known as Coca-Cola. The drink was initially sold in pharmacies as a refreshing energy drink.
Pepsi was created in 1893 by pharmacist Caleb Bradham. Pepsi used the same ingredients for the drink: coca leaves and kola nuts. A fierce competition arose between Coca-Cola and Pepsi, known as the ‘Cola Wars’.
Custom Formulas
Over time, both formulas
were modified. The coca leaves were removed (because of the cocaine) and replaced with coca aromas. The kola nuts were gradually replaced with caffeine extracts.
This evolution eventually led to the cola we know today, with the signature taste of soft drinks like Coca-Cola and Pepsi. The soft drink industry has since grown into a multi-billion dollar global industry. But it all began with the discovery and use of cocaine and caffeine in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.
Marketing battle
The real battle between Coke and Pepsi began in the 50s and 60s, when Pepsi began aggressive marketing campaigns to promote the brand. One of the most notable moments was the Pepsi Challenge, north korea email list 815 contact leads where consumers blindly tasted both soft drinks and often preferred Pepsi. This was the beginning of the claim to be the taste of a new generation.
In the late 80s the music injection came into the marketing mix
In the 1980s, the competition between the two permission marketing: learn all about the powerful strategy that boosts brand trust in the digital world giants reached a fever pitch. Pepsi launched the famous slogan ‘Choice of a New Generation’. This positioned the brand as the choice of young people looking for something different from the alb directory established Coca-Cola. Pepsi was innovative with marketing, using pop culture icons such as Michael J. Fox and pop stars such as Madonna to promote the soft drink.
Highlight in 1983 with a custom tune
The highlight of this Coke War, however, was undoubtedly the collaboration between Pepsi and none other than the King of Pop himself, Michael Jackson. In 1983, the world was treated to the legendary Pepsi commercial starring Jackson. Featuring the catchy tune “You’re the Pepsi Generation,” the commercial set a new standard for advertising campaigns. The commercial was not only memorable for Jackson’s music and star power, but also for the tragic accident during filming that left Jackson injured.
The partnership with Jackson generated enormous publicity and boosted Pepsi’s sales. It established Pepsi as a brand that was always looking for renewal and rejuvenation. The ‘Choice of a New Generation’ campaign was a masterstroke and showed that Pepsi was determined to compete with Coca-Cola and attract a new generation of consumers.