I’ll never forget when I made the decision to stop drinking Coca-Cola products.

Introduction

I’ll never forget when I made the decision to stop drinking Coca-Cola products. I was in middle school drinking a Coke can and wondering why it wasn’t as good as Pepsi.

The intention of this article is not to start a fight with any Coke drinkers. When Pepsi Vanilla is not available (which is a lot, since it goes in and out of production) or when I’m at a Coke-sponsored event, I’m guilty of walking past the beverage barricade. I have a deep respect for Coca-Cola as a powerhouse business and as a catalyst for soft drink companies everywhere. I am also not writing this to condone drinking soft drinks; I rarely treat myself to a soda anymore, now that I know the benefits of a glass of water. I’m simply sharing my opinion of why I like Pepsi better than its competitor.

Better Taste

People who say Pepsi has more flavor over Coca-Cola use a similar vocabulary. “Sweeter” and smoother” are words I have witnessed both in-person and online. My parents at a family dinner commented that Pepsi tastes more like “soda” without all the “fizz”. If you compare two 8 oz. bottles of both brands you will find these accusations are truthful. Nutritional labels prove that Pepsi has more caffeine and sugar, and Coca-Cola has more sodium.

One of the most fascinating books I’ve ever read, The Cola Wars by Harvey Yazijian and Louis J.C., magnifies the difference between Cola and Pepsi. While Cola has more citric ingredients (along with an alleged secret ingredient the company has called “X” for years, which I believe might just be hype), Pepsi has a “peppery” sweeter flavor with 10% more sugar. In 1975 Pepsi was so confident they had a better taste that they hosted the famous event called Pepsi Challenge, in which consumers were blindfolded and had to pick the better taste with Pepsi always ending up as the victor.

Better Advertisements/Marketing

Coca-Cola’s advertisements generally bore me to sleep. Since the company has existed, their strategy has focused on emphasizing their tradition as the “first” soft drink, and being the symbol of American life. The Cola Wars expresses that instead of just showing Coke bottles, Pepsi targets people enjoying the product. Since the Pepsi generation of the sixties, the business has focused on ingenuity and “experience” of the product rather than tradition. While I have enjoyed some Coca-Cola commercials, for example their nineties jingle “can’t beat the real thing” that surfaced in the nineties, Pepsi is genuinely better at keeping up with the current times.

Both companies have had their share of endorsing celebrities, like the beautiful Jennifer Lopez who has been a spokesperson for both at different times in her life. Most of the time these endorsements are linked with money, but I usually like Pepsi’s choices more. I’ll hand it to Coca-Cola that they nabbed Whitney Houston, Keanu Reeves, and Jack White in their favor. However, they have also sponsored Paula Abdul, Bruce Jenner, and Ty Burrell. On the flip side, Pepsi spokespeople have included Beyonce, Ozzy Osbourne, Enrique Iglesias, Michael J. Fox, Victoria Beckham, and Sofia Vergara. Which company do you think has better parties?

The Underdogs

Not only has Pepsi dealt with bankruptcy twice, but they are constantly losing a battle to Coca-Cola’s sales. It wasn’t until 1979 that Pepsi topped Coca-Cola with $140 million more in sales, but Coca-Cola quickly rose back up and has been relevantly stable since. The company had a $600,000 budget in 1939 compared to Coca-Cola’s $15 million. They have had to rely on ingenuity throughout the years, and in the process made one of the first ad jingles ever: “nickel nickel.”

Around the year of 1999, Pepsi decided to market Aquafina water for healthier choices in a world that was counting calories, and Coca-Cola only followed in 2003. Pepsi also branched into many foods besides beverages, for example: Sun Chips, Cracker Jacks, Quaker, Doritos, and Rice a Roni. Coca-Cola still sticks to mostly beverages, such as Minute Maid and Capri Sun.

Wrap-up

Both companies have skeletons and their ingredients are extremely similar, yet Pepsi is generally more approachable and doesn't remind me of a grumpy grandpa the way Coca Cola does. For that reason, I will enjoy a Pepsi treat when given the choice.

© 2015 Sara Psychedelic

Comments

Sagefish on May 24, 2020:

Its weird. I like Regular Coke better than Regular Pepsi and Coke Zero over Pepsi One. But I like Diet Pepsi better than Diet Coke. I'm just going off my taste buds here. Aspertame has a funky aftertaste I just cannot get into.

Cokeisbest on May 05, 2020:

Coke win. End of conversation.

pepsy LOVER on February 10, 2020:

Coke rooolz

the one and only demigod shrek on November 25, 2019:

Praise Ty Palm

Ty Palm on November 22, 2019:

I agree, lets make a cult.

penny on May 09, 2019:

thanks this is really helpful iam doing a debate on this subject thank you

F R O G M A N on April 15, 2019:

Aye I agree with this along with all of shibe nation and rapid liquid.

Donald Neideffer on April 12, 2019:

My wife prefers Pepsi because it is sweeter. I prefer Coke because it is less sweet, and seems like it has more carbonation. Bigger bubbles, I find it more refreshing. So it comes down to personal preference.

thanks on April 11, 2019:

Now I have more things to debate about how Pepsi is so much better than coke．thankyou!

nathsan on April 08, 2019:

pepsi is better than coke

WyrdBlogger on March 14, 2019:

For me, the so-called Pepsi challenge would consist of which drink tastes the flattest and the most syrupy; Pepsi would win every time in that regard.

I am biased because, for me, Coca-Cola is soo much better it seems empirically so.

me on February 05, 2019:

pepsi is not better than coke but i couldn't find reasons why coke taste better

the ramirez family on February 04, 2019:

coke gives you diabetes

ebola on February 04, 2019:

your mom bad

Brooks on January 30, 2019:

Coke is actual garbage it is so bad

nibb on January 25, 2019:

yes it is

idk on January 25, 2019:

honestly i think Dr.Pepper is better lol OwO

Zaniya on January 18, 2019:

So what's in coke

thank you on November 10, 2018:

I was trying to find some reasons why pepsi is better than coke, and I couldn't find one until I found this website. Thanks a lot

i copied this for an english assingment at my middle school on October 16, 2018:

thanks^

Emily-dickinson on October 04, 2018:

#YouGuysHaveNoLife

somebody made a wrong opinion on August 12, 2018:

somebody said Coke has no fizz and flavor I disagree and the person who made the article disagrees

HansRieseWurst on August 03, 2018:

10 % ? I don't know if it's only because this article is too old, but Coke has 10,6 gram sugar and Pepsi 10,7, thats way less than 10% more.

Mr.Pepsi on July 27, 2018:

Thankyou for this amazing review; we hope to see many more other Pepsi lovers out there in the world.

Nash on July 22, 2018:

You basically summarized why I prefer Pepsi over Coca Cola when I enjoy the rare soda and also, I don't know if you know this, but search engine optimization on point girl! Your article is one of the first that come up!

Ayyyy on June 17, 2018:

I love pepsi!

Zach jones on June 01, 2018:

Pepsi has that sweet and refreshing test to it there for i choose Pepsi

Your Mom on April 03, 2018:

Sweet Heart, Coke Is My Favorite Drink..........

Pepsi man on March 09, 2018:

I think Pepsi is way better than coke too.

Pepsi Lover on March 08, 2018:

I prefer Pepsi too. Maybe it is just me, but it is a lot smoother and easier to swallow, so I would pick Pepsi without looking back. :)

Anonymous on March 01, 2018:

pepsi is better pepsi is better pepsi is better

GGGGGGGGGGGGg on March 01, 2018:

Pepsi is better

the pepsi fairy on February 19, 2018:

pepsi is way better than coke

pepsi on February 09, 2018:

Pepsi is better

m3 on February 08, 2018:

Coke is better

john on January 13, 2018:

pepsi tastes way stronger than coke and i love pepsi better than coke because of that

dude that needs help on October 02, 2017:

I'm doing an essay on why Pepsi is better than Coke, and I've been searching all over the internet finding info! But I've ran out of ideas on why Pepsi is better. Can anybody help me and give me some true info? (Thanks).

bob on September 22, 2017:

pepsi is by far better than coke. tastes much betterand sweeter. coke does taste much better than pepsi with food though

jimmy on July 26, 2017:

I think pepsi is better because it has a lot of sugar and

it tastes better than coke . plus I drink it often

Hoot on June 26, 2017:

I agree a little bit. I like Coke better but when somebody has Pepsi I don't complain. They both have traits that I like and dislike. I like Coke's more subtle and bold taste while Pepsi is just really sweet. I like Pepsi's lack of a ton of fizz as Coke sometimes hurts my throat. Also being an Underdog doesn't make the soda any better and Dr. Pepper is the best soda.

This Boy B on June 06, 2017:

coke is better

Some random anonymous opinionated weirdo on the internet on May 28, 2017:

Coke is honestly bland and tasteless IMO, lacks the fizz and flavor that Pepsi boasts.

Adam on October 27, 2016:

I like coke original more than pepsi original but pepsi diet more than coke diet

Bull on August 14, 2016:

@cow , milk is batter DMF

Cow on April 28, 2016:

@naenae, if you are going to comment one is better, try to use grammar. :)

NNN on February 26, 2016:

Pepsi is better than coke it is sweeter and you can buy Pepsi Max, no sugar but still tastes better than Coca Cola because Coke is rubbish

naenae on October 06, 2015:

Coke is better then pepis coketaste better

Naima on July 30, 2015:

I agree!