The Eternal Ad War; Coke vs Pepsi

Whether you're a coke fan or a Pepsi enthusiast, chances are you are aware of the advertising war between the two sodas. In October of 2013, Pepsi came out with a cheeky Halloween ad showing their pop dressed up as a coke can, referring to the costume as scary. Not too long after, a Coke fan poked fun at Pepsi by editing their ad and referring to the costume as a hero. The ads went viral and are still relevant 8 years later.


Pepsi's 2013 Ad

Pepsi pulled a smart move by using its long-standing rivalry with Coke to its advantage. This ad speaks directly to the younger social media demographic, approximately 14 to 30 years old. The festive ad serves to create more drama between the two name brands, promoting exposure and discussions about the sodas. Their ad worked so well that Coke fans took it upon themselves to respond. This means that every time Coca-Cola fans shared their modified image, Pepsi gained exposure. According to Digital Insighters, the ad reached over 24,000 shares on social media and was viewed by around 65 million people.

Today's situation



Data from Statista.

Looking at the U.S. market share for the two companies in 2020, we can see a clear advantage for Coke (44.9%) compared to Pepsi (25.9%.) The two companies are still in a head-to-head competition, with Pepsi being the underdog. This means that Pepsi is still in a position to fight coke with comical ads and campaigns. Pepsi is big enough to be relevant, but not big enough to be seen as a bully against Coke. 
I invite you to sit back and relax as the ad war continues!

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