Pepsi Vs Coca Cola?

Pepsi and Coca Cola are considered one of the biggest rivals in product history, with both companies being extremely successful within the same field. Thereby comparing their integrated marketing communications (IMC), we can assess how these companies have consistently targeted consumers and continued to build their brands. 

Pepsi 

Pepsi is widely recognised for their effective IMC, becoming one the most popular soft drinks consumed worldwide. Pepsi presents themselves as a brand for the youthful, fun generation, often connecting their product to pop culture references and therefore marketing to a large demographic. Over the years they have repeatedly utilised the influence of celebrity marketing with icons such as Michael Jackson, Beyonce and in more recent years Kendal Jenner, highlighting their ability to meet trends popular at a specific time. They have further immersed themselves in pop culture by sponsoring events such as the iconic superbowl halftime performance, where they used additional marketing to diss their rivals, when the game was held in Atlanta the birthplace of coke. Pepsi continues to increase brand awareness, through their consistent IMC allowing them to become the successful company they are today. 

Coca Cola

Coke, their major competitor, has also established a strong IMC that has allowed them to be repeatedly ranked as the number 1 soft drink. Throughout their long history they have become known for their captivating marketing methods, whilst being able to integrate successful digital revenues in recent years. Coca Cola has one of the most instantly recognisable packaging of all time and is wellbeloved all throughout the world. Whilst also targeting a fun loving consumer they have branded their product to be family friendly, associating itself with positive moments in people’s lives. As their current ‘Share a coke’ campaign encourages consumers to find a coke bottle with their name and share it, creating a sense of community and nostalgia. Similarly to Pepsi they partake in the sponsoring of sporting events, most significantly the Olympics, which too is a special event that brings people together. Over their 125 year history, Coke has become a model for their IMC methods, becoming the most disgusted brand in the Cola selling industry. 

Conclusion 

The other day I went out for dinner and one of my friends ordered a coke and started talking about how it reminds her of our recent girls trip to Europe, demonstrating the true impact their IMC has on consumers. Despite Pepsi’s impressive efforts to establish a strong IMC whilst competing with an enterprise as successful as Coca Cola, I don’t believe their product has the same effect on consumers. However both companies are extremely successful in their own ways and their IMC methods are ones that marketers will continue to be inspired by.

References

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Onar, M. (2023) Pepsi’s marketing strategy: A look at how the brand stays ahead of the competition, Digital Agency Network. Available at: https://digitalagencynetwork.com/pepsi-marketing-strategy/ (Accessed: 03 November 2023). 

Kempner, M. (2019) Super Bowl sponsor Pepsi Paints Atlanta Skyline Blue as Coke sidelined, ajc. Available at: https://www.ajc.com/news/local/super-bowl-sponsor-pepsi-paints-atlanta-skyline-blue-coke-sidelined/6anbcbeLs0ILAvL8m0RFQK/#:~:text=Pepsi%20has%20unleashed%20a%20blue,How%20refreshing.%E2%80%9D (Accessed: 03 November 2023). 

Effectiveness of Pepsi’s Integrated Marketing Communication(2023) Scribd. Available at: https://www.scribd.com/document/523900340/IMC-Pepsi (Accessed: 03 November 2023). 

Panda , I. (2023) Coca-Cola’s Integrated Marketing Communication – 1101 words: Report example, IvyPanda. Available at: https://ivypanda.com/essays/coca-cola-companys-integrated-marketing-communication-tools/ (Accessed: 03 November 2023). 

Gregory Stringer, M. (2021) Case study: Coca Cola Integrated Marketing Communications, LinkedIn. Available at: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/case-study-coca-cola-integrated-marketing-gregory-stringer#:~:text=The%20integrated%20components%20used%20by,media%20marketing%20and%20sales%20promotion. (Accessed: 03 November 2023). 

Mag, M. (2022) Share a Coke campaign post-analysis, Marketing Mag. Available at: https://www.marketingmag.com.au/news/share-a-coke-campaign-post-analysis/ (Accessed: 03 November 2023).