Pepsi is a carbonated soft drink that is produced and manufactured by PepsiCo. Sports has always been a common denominator for both soda brands to engage with their fellow customers and fans. Coca-Cola Black Cherry Vanilla, Diet Coke Cherry Vanilla, Coca-Cola Blk, Coca-Cola with Orange (sold in the UK) Coca-Cola Raspberry, Diet Coke Raspberry, and TaB (original Diet Coke, still available in some countries) PEPSI Pepsi Diet, Pepsi, Pepsi max, Pepsi One, Caffeine Free Pepsi, Caffeine free Diet Pepsi, Pepsi Throwback, and Pepsi Next Both rivals are under pressure to stay top of mind in terms of instant refreshment and indulgent choice. These two industry leaders make up a total market share of over 70% in the carbonated soft drink arena. This accounts for Pepsi's better performance in the stock market, according to The Street. Still, Cokes net income for 2021 was $9.7 billion while Pepsis net income was $7.6 billion for 2021. The result 227,300 branded mentions. Their first celebrity ad was in 1984 which included Michael Jackson dancing in the streets with a group of young kids. Coke has traditionally focused on a wider, more general audience, while Pepsi has targeted younger consumers with a more edgy and innovative marketing approach. changing consumer trends, as thirsty customers are craving for less sugary and more natural refreshment solutions, the Coke vs Pepsi war is at its peak. On both global and US levels, music celebrity endorsements were the key social media drivers for both brands, with more impact than any single mass event or product launch. The golden formula sports event + famous musician may work more or less, and brands need to remain current in order to stay relevant within their respective audiences. Jun 25, 2016 - Celebrity endorsements are very valuable. Based on our 2018 World Cup report, Coca-Colas last sponsorship deal that we have details of, is from 2005, for $48 million per year for 8 years. The company figures for the third quarter of 2018 show that the two companies . LOL#80sCoke #NewCoke pic.twitter.com/hASvGGptjV. Then, in 1892, Asa Griggs Candler bought the recipe and founded The Coca-Cola Company. Both brands saw declines from 2020. Since 2004, Coca-Cola has been the clear market leader in soft drink sales. Coca-Cola also had the first celebrity endorsement. The History Behind Two of the Most Famous Brands, The Differences in Coke vs. Pepsis Marketing Techniques, From there, they focused on designing a unique Coke bottle that could easily be recognized by consumers. They both buy category exclusivity in the World Cup and the Super Bowl events, not only to convey a brand message to masses but apparently more for prestige reasons, to avoid that the despicable enemy takes over the castle. After researching and testing the program for over two years to ensure that it resonated with consumers, Pepsi launched Pepsi Stuff, which was an instant success. Powerade vs. Gatorade. Who wants to take the #pepsichallenge and play football with Messi, Pogba, Sancho or van de Sanden? Pepsi had a bigger impact with branded mentions during the 2018 Super Bowl, compared with the 2019 event. Flash forward to the 1980s and Pepsi would score a product placement coup of its own with a notable mention in Back to the Future (Gimme a Pepsi Free) and a prominent appearance in the 1989 sequel. PepsiCo makes Mountain Dew, Gatorade, Lipton Tea, and Naked juice, among others. When COVID-19 struck in 2020, the global economy experienced the most severe decline since the Great Depression. Another aspect of marketing is knowing whether or not you can justify upping your products price. Jumping to 2021, and Coke's slipped to 16 out of the top 100, with a no-show from Pepsi. While Pepsi was marketed to compete with Coke, the original cola beverage was formulated by a Confederate Army vet who sought a substitute for the morphine he had become dependent on during the Civil War - at least, according to The Street. @pepsi vs. @CocaCola at the Atlanta Airport. Around the same time, Pepsi started selling its beverages in cans. Due to its success, the program was expanded to include Mountain Dew and Pepsi's international markets worldwide. Pepsi experienced a marketing failure in 2017 when model Kendall Jenner offered Pepsi to a police officer amid protests in its commercials. Diet Coke vs. Keyword has to be in the opening paragraph - Coke vs Pepsi. Other notable names have included Britney Spears, Shakira, Katy Perry, Beyonce, Ricky Martin, and Ne-Yo. That exact moment was the creation of what would become one of the worlds most beloved soft drinks. Lets wrap up this Coke vs. Pepsi summary by taking a look at some cold, hard data. During a summer of unrest and protests over police brutality, the message was seen as tone-deaf, drawing condemnations from Black Lives Matter and the family of Martin Luther King Jr. The commercials repeatedly showed ordinary citizens choosing Pepsi over Coke in blind taste tests. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. The slogan used at the end of the commercial said, the choice of a new generation, ultimately introducing Pepsi as the soft drink for young audiences. In past years, both companies spent more than a billion dollars on advertising. NCL plans to serve only Coke products fleetwide by the end of 2022. Pepsis endorsement by rapper Cardi B led to a great viral buzz during 2019s Super Bowl, but less efficient than a year before. Coke has primarily stuck with beverages and Pepsi has had a very lucrative foray into the snack food business. With the bottom line, both companies have seen revenues steadily spike since around the mid-1980s and forward. One Comic / Magazine (s). Their brand tone and voice is friendly and happy, encouraging consumers to feel joy. Coke vs. Pepsi: Comparison of Celebrity Endorsements Coke The current Queen of Pop, Taylor Swift, has been featured recently in ads for Diet Coke. Pepsi X and Holiday spice has more caffeine then regular Pepsi and is similar to the energy drinks but is not sold in the US. honest, wholesome, cheerful, and down-to-earth. Along with having to adapt to the pandemic, brands also had to consider how/if they were going to recognize social justice issues that arose, such as Black Lives Matter. Diet Pepsi. Globally speaking, Coca-Cola heads the brand valuation game, ranking number 6 compared to 29 for Pepsi on Forbes Worlds Most Valuable brands in 2019. Coca-Cola Black Cherry Vanilla, Diet Coke Cherry Vanilla, Coca-Cola Blk, Coca-Cola with Orange (sold in the UK) Coca-Cola Raspberry, Diet Coke Raspberry, and TaB (original Diet Coke, still available in some countries), Pepsi Diet, Pepsi, Pepsi max, Pepsi One, Caffeine Free Pepsi, Caffeine free Diet Pepsi, Pepsi Throwback, and Pepsi Next, Wild Cherry pepsi, Diet wild cherry pepsi, Pepsi Lime, Diet Pepsi Lime, Pepsi Jazz in two flavors (Strawberries and Cream and Black Cherry Vanilla), Pepsi Twist (lemon flavored in both regular and diet varieties). Add the 30-second Pepsi ad broadcasting cost of 5.25M - 2019 figures. Pepsis Super Bowl 2019 ad sneak-preview tweeted by Cardi B created strong momentum for the brand. This has led to different brand images for the two companies, with Coke being seen as more classic and timeless, while Pepsi is viewed as more trendy and modern. Research shows consumers see Coke as honest, wholesome, cheerful, and down-to-earth. Coke and Diet Coke fans are typically firmly in their own camps and rarely venture outside of the soda world to . Coca-Cola also enjoys a higher market capitalization on the stock exchange, with $204.87 billion value versus $159 billion for PepsiCo, by end of January 2019. And, so you can present your results to your boss, to prove that your social media strategy is bringing a ROI. Their. The Great Depression caused Pepsi to file for bankruptcy twice, once in 1923 and again in 1931, due to sugar shortages. The result: 227,300 branded mentions. Overall very nice and good condition for age. In the majority of their commercials, Coke doesnt focus on the features of the soda itself. But with sports, its pretty much even. The Super Bowl 2019 generated 261,100 mentions and 1.6 million engagements for Pepsi directly linked to the brand and the event, in the 30 days the US media covered the game, for a total engagement ROI of 0.07 EN/$. Finally, the budget to exclusively sponsor the Halftime Show is estimated at around $5M. Michael J. After a second bankruptcy in the early 1930s, things began to look up for Pepsi, which found success by emphasizing value and affordability bottles were just five cents each. It supports and donates regularly. Pushing its product as a beverage to accompany food, the brand regularly posts recipes. Forbes reports that to reach younger consumers, Pepsi has tapped many celebrities over the years, ranging from pop stars to rap . He then discovers that its actually stocked with Pepsi! To align with this demand, brands are shifting their products and marketing strategies. 1 Wallich Street, Guoco Tower #09-01, Singapore 078881, Japan - Talkwalker K.K. We can define both soda brands strategy as comparable and defensive, with a clear focus on the US for Pepsi, and a more international approach for Coca-Cola. Both brands saw declines from 2020. won with all year long stronger engagements. Whether its historically, by revenue, marketing strategy, and so on. The companys beverage was also a major part of the plot of the 1980 cult classic film The Gods Must Be Crazy, where a Coke bottle tossed from an airplane triggers a series of events. Coca Colas global investment showed less direct measurable impact in terms of branded hashtag efficiency, as most fans focused on tagging BTS during the game. Brands are built on the backs of athletes and entertainers. Nowadays, Cokes brand personality is known for being positive, simple, and classic. Coke vs Pepsi: Two CPG titans fighting Globally speaking, Coca-Cola heads the brand valuation game, ranking number 6 compared to 29 for Pepsi on Forbes World's Most Valuable brands in 2019. Coke has primarily stuck with beverages and Pepsi has had a very lucrative foray into the snack food business. Meanwhile, South Korean boy band YDPPs mash-up with Pepsi in early 2018, and Cardi Bs Super Bowl 2019 ad generated massive social media impact for Pepsi. Of course, engaging content and copywriting is crucial when it comes to anything marketing-related. , like Cokes unique bottle, are crucial for the success of your brands personality. By the time the Roaring Twenties came along, Coca-Cola was also establishing a presence in Europe. This needs to be tracked properly in order to take corrective measures. Yep, I know, out of date. 1 soft drink in the U.S. Coca-Cola Co. and PepsiCo are about more than Coke and Pepsi. Despite a high-profile misstep with Madonna in 1989, Pepsi has continued to attract big-name pop stars for its ads. Pepsi, the blue contender, is linked to the NFL since 2002. This shows that even with a lower level of single mentions, Coca-Cola generates more shares and likes with its marketing efforts. The real deathmatch takes place within the 4 to 24-year-old Generation Z, the social media savvy, whose taste is not yet that acquired. . Pepsi made a significant purchase of its own in the 60s. Season 1. Their brand personality is seen as edgy, exciting, fresh, and young. It has more than four times the market share of Coca-Cola's Powerade (via CNBC). Terms of service, Europe - Talkwalker Sarl: [2] The campaign suggested that, when it came down to taste alone, consumers preferred Pepsi over Coca-Cola. Head over to TikTok and duet with any of the team! Enter here for the chance to win exclusive prizes like https://t.co/Qoh9OQTNNi gift cards or a trip to the Stanley Cup Final! Conversation Clusters and theme clouds will identify the overarching themes around an industry or topic, and help you understand what's top of mind for consumers. By the 1960s, both Coke and Pepsi brands were distributed in more than a hundred countries around the world. Pepsi wiped out Coca-Colas online presence during the 2019 Super Bowl, with a strong Cardi B advertising reveal, and a Pepsi Halftime show that hit the news due to the Maroon 5 performance, grossing 387,000 mentions for Coca-Colas rival. PepsiCo merged with Frito-Lay in the 1960s, and now snacks make up about half of PepsiCo's revenue. The whole Coke vs. Pepsi battle almost became a moot point when World War I sugar rationing forced Pepsi to go bankrupt in 1923. stronger than Coca-Cola branded hashtags. behind its rival in other parts of the world. With product packaging conversations around sustainability and the dislike of non-recyclable plastic. Both Coca-Cola and Pepsi have used social movements in their ad campaigns. From a strictly by-the-numbers standpoint, Coke is the winner since the company now owns more than 15 brands including Hi-C, Dasani, and Bimbo Bakeries. At 36and 77 years old respectively, Hill and Scorcese are a combined 113 years of age. From a North American perspective, the Super Bowl helped Pepsi win the mentions' battle, but Coca-Cola won with all year long stronger engagements. Coke experienced an epic product failure in 1985 when the company decided to tinker with its classic formula and debut New Coke. [3][4] The bigger you are, the more defensive you get. WILL SEND WORLDWIDE.ASK FOR DETAILS. Globally speaking, copying what the leader does seems to be pretty expensive and not that efficient on a world level. You may find our food industry trends report - Twitter Birdseye Report - a useful read. But that change is more or less lost to history, whereas Coca-Cola's infamous decision to stop production of its original formula after 99 years and unveil New Coke stands as one of the worst marketing decisions by a major company. . Still, Coke's net income for 2021 was $9.7 billion while Pepsi's net income was $7.6 billion for 2021. Coca-Cola, the red defender, in a long-term relationship with the Fdration Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), has a sponsor history with the World Cup lasting since 1978. In the battle between Coke versus Pepsi, there are many factors to consider when choosing a winner. North Carolina pharmacist Caleb Bradham introduced what was first called Brads Drink in 1893. Privacy Policy Big on community and togetherness, the brand talks to its audience as if "we're all in this together.". The Super Bowl 2019 generated cumulated 261,100 mentions and 1.6 million engagements for Pepsi directly linked to the brand and the event, in the 30 days the US media covered the game, for a total engagement ROI of 0.07 EN/$. mayo 29, 2022 . In contrast, Pepsi has a younger fanbase and is seen by its audience as young, trendy, and edgier, compared to Coke. Coca-Cola has a long-standing relationship with the Fdration Internationale de Football Association - FIFA - and has a sponsor history with the World Cup dating back to 1978. New York CNN . What drink do you like best? In Australia Pepsi samba is sold, it's a mix of mango or the tamarind which is like America's version of the Pepsi summer mix they sell here which tastes like Skittles. Global level 2018 - Coca-Cola led the year-long share of voice - SOV - battle on social media with the help of strong celebrity endorsement and the World Cup. So the original Original Coke - cocaine and all - can also claim a more colorful origin story. He owned a pharmacy in New Bern, North Carolina which would later become the birthplace of Pepsi-Cola. All done to the beat of our custom track from Becky G and Burna Boy #pepsicoproud pic.twitter.com/vTbPbvm4dP. The Beverage digest shows that both companies have dropped in the diet arena, but still Coke is in the lead. In 1915 they went on to open a manufacturing plant in the Philippines. This time by a man named Caleb Davis Bradham. This is just a first step. As punishment for her sin, Hester is forced to wear a scarlet letter "A" on her chest, which stands for adultery. in the social media share of voice game, while it often lacks In the history of the cola wars, The Coca-Cola Company and PepsiCo have continually battled for market share supremacy. Theyre known for working with high-profile celebrities. However, the Coca Cola script that was already being used came from Dr. Pembertons bookkeeper, Frank M. Robinson. Consumers welcomed the diet and caffeine-free versions, but when Coca-Cola launched New Coke, in direct competition with Pepsi - changing the taste of the original - consumers rejected it out of hand. The bigger you are, the more defensive you get. On both global and US levels, music celebrity endorsements are the key social media drivers for both brands, with more impact than any single mass event or product launch. In the late 30s, the company further expanded its marketing reach to Australia and South Africa. Recently, Pepsi moved into celebrity culture. Copyright 2023 Talkwalker Inc. All Rights Reserved Coca-Cola Vanilla, Diet Coca-Cola Vanilla, Coca-Cola with Lime, Diet Coke with Lime. The winners were Aaroh, who beat runners up Entity Paradigm by a narrow margin. Permanently tracking and understanding what your close competitors are doing and how your customers are reacting is a marketing must. When it comes to which brand sells more, Coke is the clear winner with a market share of nearly 45%. In its goal to stand out from Coca-Cola, Pepsi has created a brand persona that - not in a negative way - is a bit more grown up. The underdog Pepsi called itself "The Choice of a New Generation" in the 1980s (via Business Insider). Pepsi Battle of the Bands: Season 1 aired in July 2002 on PTV Home. Coke also dominated in most markets, with Pepsi having a larger presence in Asian markets. The announcement days before the World Cup of BTS, a South Korean boy band, as Coca-Colas brand ambassador generated the biggest social media buzz of the year for the Atlanta-based company, with over 615,000 mentions. Without further ado, heres a closer look at how these two beverage giants have competed, failed, succeeded, and evolved over the years. Our Twitter is going to look a little different as we donate our social feeds to experts and partners sharing helpful information. The brand is also seen as more reliable and imaginative compared to its rival. By 1888, control of the recipe was acquired by Asa Griggs Candler, who in 1896, founded The Coca-Cola Company. Our cookies policy describes how we use cookies and how to disable them. While the brands peacefully co-existed for years, the Pepsi Challenge in 1975 rocked the taste buds. Its a tough game for Pepsi. [10], Pepsi advertising is heavily supported by strategic sponsorships and online marketing. Let's get loud! Once the syrup was made, he took it to a local pharmacy and mixed it with carbonated water. Hashtags mentioning BTS were predominant during the 2018 World Cup, In the past five years, Coke has gained 22.13% of market shares, while Pepsi has gained 49.20%. For example, youll often see someone taking their first sip of Pepsi and letting out a satisfying ah. For that moment in time, the underdog, Pepsi, was the victor. Emotional content that enchants the crowd. As far as the Coke vs. Pepsi battle goes with brand expansion, its essentially a tie. This needs to be tracked properly in order to take corrective measures. No one in the history of getting drunk ever took the drink back to complain. With a similar budget, the social media outcome can be very different, as other factors, political, cultural or competitive, can have a massive impact on a brands voice on the internet. In the 1970s, Coke played off of the opposition to the Vietnam War with an iconic campaign that has become part of popular culture with its Id Like to Teach the World to Sing ads for the cola company. Proving that the companys strategy to invest in an international sports event and a pop band creates more buzz in the States than the one-day-hit Super Bowl for Pepsi. Pepsi comes in second, with a volume share of 25.9%. Three months later, Coke returned to its classic recipe. Soft drinks, energy drinks, different product lines. Posting contests, promo offers, event sponsorship, partnerships, etc. With its attempts at youth appeal, Pepsi produces better commercials overall. [5], The two companies continued to introduce new and contemporary advertising techniques, such as Coke's first celebrity endorsement and 1915 contour bottle, until market instability following World War I forced Pepsi to declare bankruptcy in 1923. Maybe after reading this, you'll agree. Building a better future means joining together as we move forward. Note that Pepsi owns food brands while Coke owns beverage brands only, like Fanta, Dasani, Sprite, Smartwater, and so on. K-Pop brand endorsement is gold. Am, Maroon 5, and Selena Gomez. [11] This line of commercials led to the court case Leonard v. Pepsico, Inc., which was chronicled in the 2022 Netflix show Pepsi, Where's My Jet? Pepsi aimed at being the new soda on the block, trying to subtly suggest that Coke was outdated and for older consumers. Coke's shining star dulled and it's market share declined. Marketers are interested in how both brands handle this challenge in terms of market share, sponsorships, brand endorsements, and social media strategy. Am I the only one? More than half of PepsiCos revenue comes from food products rather than soft drinks or water. In the US, Pepsi generated 4 million mentions and 39.8 million engagements Feb 18 to Feb 19, compared to Coca-Colas 3.7 million mentions and 59.2 million engagements. [8], During the peak of the cola wars, as Coca-Cola saw its flagship product losing market share to Pepsi as well as to Diet Coke and competitors products, the company considered a change to the beverage's formula and flavor. The company used this combination in all its advertising to boost its brand awareness and recognition. These two brands don't give an inch as marketers search for every opportunity to get a leg up [] When Buzzfeed conducted a blind taste test of Coke and Pepsi, tasters had a hard time telling the difference. Even if you arent exactly in a Coke vs. Pepsi size battle with your competitors, there are plenty of lessons to be learned from this recap of the legendary marketing rivalry between these two brands. Third, look for smart ways to carve out new niches for your brand and take a distinctive approach to your marketing. The company used this newly formed partnership to give cola lovers a perfect companion for their Pepsi Doritos! In their US campaigns, theyve worked with the likes of Cindy Crawford, Britney Spears, Beyonce, Jennifer Lopez, David Beckham, and Jeff Gordon. Coke countered this move with the launch of Fresco, a diet grapefruit citrus soft drink, in 1965. In spite of winning in blind taste wars, Pepsi is less popular around the world (with a few notable exceptions like India). BTS X Coca-cola for 2018 FIFA Russia World Cup campaign # @BTS_twt pic.twitter.com/sKMXY70qkG. Advertising is geared toward young people in order to build lifelong loyalties and pull at their discretionary dollars (via Marketplace). Both rivals are under pressure to stay top of mind in terms of instant refreshment and indulgent choice. [9]. Or, as a taste-tester at Buzzfeed put it, "If you close your eyes and you just, you know, live a little, you might learn to like the other side. Celebrity endorsement associated with sports events may pay off for lifestyle brands, but the viral outcome can strongly differ from event to event as other factors may interfere with the brand message. PepsiCo's Gatorade is far and away the king of sports drinks. was in 1984 which included Michael Jackson dancing in the streets with a group of young kids. Pepsi would later acquire the international distribution rights for 7-Up, Sprites main competitor beverage, in the mid-1980s although Dr. Pepper owns the U.S. rights. Coca-Cola also enjoys a higher market capitalization on the stock exchange, with $204.87 billion value versus $159 billion for PepsiCo, by end of January 2019. Their content hashtag #trophytour had only minor impact, showing that it was too difficult to decipher for the masses. Name a celebrity endorser for each brand and how they reflect a different position in the market. In the past five years, Coke has gained 22.13% of market shares, while Pepsi has gained 49.20%. In fact, grocery store sales began to favor Pepsi. You go see a movie and order a coke with your popcorn and they say sorry we only have pepsi. The creation of Pepsi followed around a decade later. In the US, Pepsi generated 4 million mentions and 39.8 million engagements over the last 12 months, compared to Coca-Colas 3.7 million mentions and 59.2 million engagements. They tend to focus on demonstrating Pepsis crisp, refreshing taste in their commercials. Coke maintained its overall lead thanks only to more vending machines and deals with fast-food chains (via Slate). In contrast, Pepsi has a younger fanbase and is seen by its audience as young, trendy, and edgier, compared to Coke. A look at both the global and North America share of voice in terms of social media engagement shows two different pictures: On a world level, Coca-Cola is leading the year-long Each brand has its die-hard fans. But when the war ended, the company felt it had a marketing presence that was strong enough to justify a price increase. But it was Coca-Cola creator Dr. Pembertons bookkeeper, Frank M. Robinson, who created the brands famous script logo in the late 1800s. In April 1985, The Coca-Cola Company introduced its new formula for Coca-Cola, which became popularly known as "New Coke". Head to the #PepsiHalftime Show app NOW to learn how you can get the chance to win the FIRST prop from the trailer. For this reason, both Coke and Pepsi put careful thought into the colors associated with their respective brands. Black Lives Matter. The Pepsi vs. Coke rivalry is apparent as well in this area, where being the first in developing a new product is significant and normally the other brand answers these actions by launching a comparable product. Pepsi is at a tie with Coca-Cola in North America You can never have enough NHL gear! Considered by some to be a marketing ploy, the Pepsi Challenge was originally a blind taste test. Coke noun Cocaine. We use cookies to enhance your experience when visiting our website. The period from November 2021 to January 2022 shows that share of voice in the industry went to Coca-Cola, followed closely by Pepsi. More than a million copies of the jingle were placed in jukeboxes across the United States. Both companies ran television ads during the Super Bowl, as Coca-Cola aired the commercial "A Coke is a Coke" just before the Super Bowl's National Anthem, while Pepsi ran a series of ads with the tagline "Is Pepsi OK?".[12]. Coke execs panicked. While Pepsi was marketed to compete with Coke, the original cola beverage was formulated by a Confederate Army vet who sought a substitute for the morphine he had become dependent on during the Civil War at least, according to The Street. When comparing Pepsi vs. Coke ads, however, Coca-Cola generally outspends Pepsi by a margin of nearly 2:1. 6, Suite 500 #131 Austin, TX 78735-8998, 1 Wallich Street, Guoco Tower #09-01, Singapore 078881, Ark Hills South Tower 16F 1-4-5 Roppongi, Minato-ku Tokyo, 13, 106-0032, Japan. Eventually, the company got back on its feet thanks to major business changes such as a new headquarters and company president. Thats when a pharmacist in Atlanta, Georgia named John S. Pemberton created what was originally a bottled medicine. Sponsorship of the sponsored Super Bowl halftime show features gets a big push. Pepsi is a better investment. During this time, Pepsi opted to tap into the youth market by dubbing itself as the brand for those who think young. The company would continue its youth-focused advertising well into the 21st century. Sticking with the financial argument, PepsiCo has fared better than Coca-Cola during the COVID-19 pandemic. coke vs pepsi celebrities. Coca-Cola offers some 400 brands, all of which are beverages and many of which are not found in the U.S. (via The Wall Street Journal). Like an over-excited puppy, Coca-Cola is happy, chatty, and fun. Coke got its start in the early 1800s when a pharmacist by the name of Dr. John S. Pemberton created its original flavored syrup. The cola wars are the long-time rivalry between soft drink producers The Coca-Cola Company and PepsiCo, who have engaged in mutually-targeted marketing campaigns for the direct competition between each company's product lines, especially their flagship colas, Coca-Cola and Pepsi.