Campaigns · Global · 1975
Pepsi: The Pepsi Challenge
Pepsi invited people to taste two unmarked colas and pick the one they preferred.
By Maer Media editorial teamPublished 4 October 20263 min readPepsiCoCampaigns · Market & Growth
- Brand
- Pepsi
- Market
- Global
- Year
- 1975
- Category
- Campaigns
- Agency or team
- PepsiCo
- Channels
- TV, in-store
The context
Coca-Cola dominated the US cola market, and brand loyalty was deeply emotional.
Taste preference differs from brand loyalty.
The move
Pepsi set up blind taste tests in malls and public places and filmed consumers choosing Pepsi.
How it was executed
- Ran blind taste tests.
- Filmed consumers choosing.
- Kept it running for years.
Pepsi invited people to taste two unmarked colas and pick the one they preferred.
What happened Reported facts
The challenge became a long-running campaign and helped Pepsi gain ground on Coca-Cola, contributing to Coke’s decision to launch New Coke in 1985.
Why it worked Maer’s analysis
Consumers proved the claim themselves.
What to take from it Maer’s analysis
- 01Let customers prove your claim.
- 02Challenger brands win by changing the test.
- 03Taste and brand are different things, and both matter.
Indian challenger brands can use blind tests.
Where Maer applies this
The same thinking runs through these brand templates:
Sources: PepsiCo; Coca-Cola history. Figures are as publicly reported; Maer Media was not involved in this work and is not affiliated with Pepsi.
The Maer Media editorial team studies how brands are built, from positioning and packaging to launches and growth. Figures in each case study come from the public sources listed above; the analysis and the India notes are our own. More about Maer
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