Good morning and welcome to the history corner of my blog…
Today, we are going to take you through the trade history of Coca-Cola and Pepsi.
Enjoy….
“In 1975, Pepsi and Coca-Cola went head-to-head in the greatest marketing battle in history.
Pepsi ran shocking blind taste tests, showing people preferred the taste of Pepsi to Coke.
But what Coca-Cola did in response nearly destroyed Coke forever.
Here’s the full story:
It started with Pepsi getting crushed.
Coca-Cola’s empire seemed untouchable. Their distribution was unbeatable. Their brand was everywhere.
But Pepsi’s marketing team noticed something interesting…
The Pepsi Challenge was born.
Pepsi’s team went to shopping malls across America. Two unmarked cups. Cameras rolling.
Everyone could see what happened when the labels disappeared.
And the results shocked the nation:
Pepsi was winning. And the numbers proved it:
Their market share jumped from 6% to 14% wherever the challenge ran.
By 1979, they’d closed the gap: Pepsi held 17.9% of the market to Coke’s 23.9%.
The giant was bleeding. For the first time ever, Coca-Cola looked vulnerable…
Their response?
A devastating miscalculation.
They ran their own taste tests – over 200,000 of them.
The results confirmed their worst fear: people really did prefer Pepsi’s sweeter taste.
But what happened next was even more shocking:
April 23, 1985: Coca-Cola announced they were changing their 99-year-old recipe.
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“New Coke” was born — and the public reaction was beyond anything they could have imagined.
The phones at Coca-Cola exploded: 10,000 angry calls per day, up from their usual 400.
One man, Gay Mullins, spent $100,000 of his own money to form “Old Soda Drinkers of America” and organize protests.
America wasn’t just angry. They felt betrayed. Why?
Because Coke had built more than just a drink.
They’d bottled memories of first dates and family gatherings. Long summer afternoons and American tradition.
People weren’t just losing a taste.
They were losing a part of themselves. Eventually:
After 79 days of chaos, Coca-Cola admitted defeat.
On July 11, 1985, Peter Jennings interrupted General Hospital to break the news:
The old Coke was coming back as “Coca-Cola Classic.”
Then something unexpected happened:
The public forgave them instantly.
Sales of Coca-Cola Classic exploded. The outcry had revealed something powerful:
People didn’t just like Coca-Cola. They loved it. They’d fight for it.
The brand was stronger than the product itself.
This changed marketing forever.
Strong brands create emotional defenders. When people trust you, they forgive your mistakes. They choose you over competitors.
They become lifelong advocates.
But here’s what fascinates me most:
Today’s brand battles look completely different.
They’re not won with TV ads or taste tests. They’re won through authentic content and personal connection.
KSI’s energy drinks. Emma Chamberlain’s coffee. The Kardashians’ empire.
The game has fundamentally changed. So:
If you’re a founder today, your personal brand is your Coca-Cola recipe.
It’s what makes you unique. What builds trust at scale.
Your audience becomes your defenders – just like Coke’s customers in 1985.
But you don’t need millions in ad spend to get there.
– compiled by @Timjcarden