Coke vs. Pepsi by Lance Oczepek
Coke and Pepsi are some of the most popular drinks in the world. Throughout the years there has been a debate between the public about what brand is better. The debate can go deeper than just which drink is better, but which brand is better. Coke owns some bigger drinks like Sprite and Fanta, but also owns things like Poweraid and Dasani which might come as a surprise because they seem like completely different brands. Pepsi owns things like Mountain Dew and Starry with others like Gatorade and also partially owning Starbucks.
So what do people say about these companies and which one do they like better? According to most people, Pepsi is overall sweeter than Coke. This is most likely due to the fact that Pepsi has 2 more grams of sugar than Coke based on a 12-ounce can. One thing that Pepsi adds to make their drink better is adding citric acid. Citric acid can be found in some naturally growing foods like lemons to give them their sour taste. Citric acid can also be artificially manufactured and used as an additive like it is used in Pepsi. The citric acid gives the Pepsi a bit more flavor. Coke has a different approach by adding more sodium which adds more fizz to the drink. Coke can be a bit less aggressive with flavor which some people like a bit better.
Marketing is another thing that Pepsi has going for it. A few years ago Pepsi was the sponsor of the NFL superbowl halftime show. Pepsi had commercials for the event going on for months before the actual show and had its logo on the TV screen a lot more than most brands. Unfortunately for Pepsi, Apple Music recently took over as the main sponsor of the halftime show so Pepsi is not a part of that anymore. Coke has a bit less marketing but they still come out on top of sales and have been for a very long time. So, when it comes to which brand is better there really isn't a clear answer. Each brand has its own good and bad aspects so a clear answer is not present. The debate will certainly continue over the years between the multi-billion dollar companies.
So what do people say about these companies and which one do they like better? According to most people, Pepsi is overall sweeter than Coke. This is most likely due to the fact that Pepsi has 2 more grams of sugar than Coke based on a 12-ounce can. One thing that Pepsi adds to make their drink better is adding citric acid. Citric acid can be found in some naturally growing foods like lemons to give them their sour taste. Citric acid can also be artificially manufactured and used as an additive like it is used in Pepsi. The citric acid gives the Pepsi a bit more flavor. Coke has a different approach by adding more sodium which adds more fizz to the drink. Coke can be a bit less aggressive with flavor which some people like a bit better.
Marketing is another thing that Pepsi has going for it. A few years ago Pepsi was the sponsor of the NFL superbowl halftime show. Pepsi had commercials for the event going on for months before the actual show and had its logo on the TV screen a lot more than most brands. Unfortunately for Pepsi, Apple Music recently took over as the main sponsor of the halftime show so Pepsi is not a part of that anymore. Coke has a bit less marketing but they still come out on top of sales and have been for a very long time. So, when it comes to which brand is better there really isn't a clear answer. Each brand has its own good and bad aspects so a clear answer is not present. The debate will certainly continue over the years between the multi-billion dollar companies.