Write a 3 page essay on Competitive Strategies.
Coca- Cola and Pepsi-Cola are two leading soft drinks in the USA. Both are represented by values cherished by the state including democracy, independence, fun and free. The color, taste and amount of carbon dioxide in both drinks are nearly the same. Coca cola is the leading brand across the globe with a leading brand value of $ 67,000 million. Its competitor Pepsi Cola has a brand of $ 12,690 million. Coca-Cola is the best recognized brand in the world and is known for owning top five soft drinks in the world that is, Coca-Cola, Diet Coke, Sprite and Fanta (Bodden 2009). Coca- Cola strong brand value has positively impacted in its penetration to new markets as it consolidates the existing market.
Coca-Cola was designed in 1885 by John Stith Pemberton who was a pharmacist (Bodden 2009). The name Coke was derived from the presence of cocaine in coke, this cocaine was claimed to reduce depression and made coke drinkers addicted to the drink. The Food and Drug Administration later abolished the presence of cocaine in the drink hence making the industry remove the ingredient cocaine in the drink. Although the company maintained the beverage’s name, its demand started to reduce. The company therefore resulted in aggressive advertising to promote the beverage. Pepsi on the other hand was also designed by a pharmacist, Caleb Bradham in 1898 and was named after its creator as ‘Brad drink’ (Bodden 2008). It also placed emphasis on advertising.
Its advertisement challenged that of Coca-Cola since PepsiCo used celebrities such as Michael Jackson, Jackie Chan and Britney Spears among others to advertise its drinks making it popular among sports fans and the young as well as promoting the image of non-conformity and confidence (Doole and Lowe 2008). A Pepsi advertisement featuring Britney Spears indicated Pepsi as a drink for all.