PepsiCo and Coca-Cola company are the top manufacturers in the universal beverage industry. The two companies have a similar business model in relation to the flagship products and consumers; Coca-Cola was founded in 1882, while Pepsi started in 1898 (Shahid & Ashfaq, 2021). Both companies have their headquarters in the United States of America. To dominate the global market, they use different advertising approaches and branding to win more customers.
The Coca-Cola Company uses a critical advertising strategy, and it uses adverts that are emotional to enhance the bonding with its members. When advertising, the company emphasizes building happiness with a phrase stating that things go better with Coca-Cola. On the other hand, Pepsi uses both emotional and rational appeals (Shahid & Ashfaq, 2021). The company expresses the substantial benefits of its products to the consumer. Through its YouTube channels, it posts emotional appeals with testimonies from some consumers.
In terms of the language used in the marketing, Coca-Cola uses an authentic vocabulary which retable to the readers. For instance, Coca-Cola uses the slogan “Taste the Feeling,” and Pepsi uses “For the love of it” to communicate different feelings to consumers (Shahid & Ashfaq, 2021). Unlike Coca-Cola, Pepsi uses a distinct language that embeds ideological notions, and the language has interpersonal links to deliver the message to its target audience.
The images used by Coca-Cola, for instance, that of two girls and one boy having fun, is unscripted. The photos portray the drink’s joy and happiness as they laugh while drinking. The picture also conveys the idea of socializing and sharing experiences. The image used by Pepsi, where a young woman kisses, is staged and lacks authenticity. The picture conveys that courageous people go for what they want. Coca-Cola has dominated most platforms in social media, including Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter (Shahid & Ashfaq, 2021). The company has approximately one million more followers and tweets than Pepsi company.
Reference
Shahid, S. E., & Ashfaq, A. (2021). Coca-Cola and PepsiCo advertising in Pakistan: Changing trends of cultural values manifested in television commercials. Journal of the Research Society of Pakistan, 58(2), 270.