Everything You Need To Know About The Cola Wars

While history classes might teach about The Cold War, the business world may teach about The Cola Wars. The battle for shelf supremacy between Coca-Cola and Pepsi is not necessarily a new concept. Although both brands try to entice a sale with new flavors, creative celebrity partnerships, and a variety of other special offerings, this advertising war is nothing new.

From History's deep dive into the overflowing The Cola Wars documentary to various case studies, this beverage battle bubbled up to prominence in the 1980s. As Snack History chronicles, The Cola Wars refers to the marketing strategies which targeted customers and enticed them to choose one cola over another and remain loyal to that beverage. From Pepsi's attempt to be the "next generation" to Coke's focus on nostalgia, each side sought to create its camp and extend its dominance over the other. While there have been both triumphs and missteps, a true winner will never raise their hand in victory. But, the creative, clever, and sometimes circumspect advertising campaigns will continue to capture beverage consumers' attention.

While people can laughingly debate the use of soda or pop terminology, The Cola Wars have never gone flat. Many beverage drinkers pick a side, Coca-Cola or Pepsi, and might not waiver on their drinking loyalty. 

While many people can instantly picture Cindy Crawford in that Pepsi Super Bowl commercial, the Pepsi Stuff commercial from the 1990s had an even bigger impact on the advertising world. As discussed by Yahoo News, Netflix's new documentary, "Pepsi, Where's My Jet?" chronicles the young John Leonard and his legal endeavors to get Pepsi to fulfill its offer to provide him a Harrier Jet in exchange for 7 million Pepsi Stuff points.

Specifically, this series discusses one battle in the ongoing Cola Wars. In an attempt to woo younger customers to the taste of a new generation, Pepsi launched a media campaign that rewarded purchases with "stuff." As consumers earned the points, they were exchanged for various items, per Yahoo News. One particular commercial ended with the proposition that 7 million points could be redeemed for a Harrier Jet. Although few people might have believed that a kid flew a military-grade jet to school, it did not deter Leonard's quest to gather sufficient points for the purchase, and he took the battle to court.

Sometimes brands look to make a splash with their advertising choices. When Pepsi looked to capture a younger demographic with its "Stuff" campaign, it blurred the line between reality and fiction in a way that caused some pricey confusion. As Insider discussed, the Netflix documentary shows how hyperbole might make for entertaining ad copy, but it might not be the most judicious choice.

Although Pepsi never had to provide Leonard with a real fighter jet since it was deemed obviously a joke, the lawsuit changed companies' disclosure requirements. Just like that warning on the side of a coffee cup informs the drinker of a hot beverage, that minuscule font scrolling during a commercial should not be skipped over. 

As the show's director, Andrew Renzi told the New York Post, "You could argue that this might have been the biggest thing to happen in the cola wars. Advertising changed forever." While people will argue the good, bad, and uncertain parts of this particular Pepsi stunt, it is just one of many rounds in the never-ending battle for cola supremacy. Although the fighter jet never left the hangar, the strikes against each beverage brand have continued.

Just like a note in a popular song or a line from a particular movie, some advertising campaigns are etched in people's memories. From wanting to buy the world a Coke to the taste of a new generation, those moments look to entice a consumer to reach for a red can over a blue one. Although taste might be a driving factor, capturing a feeling or fitting into a demographic can have people picking one beverage over another. In the world of The Cola Wars, strategic positioning may never settle the underlying question of supremacy.

As GoBankingRates chronicled, celebrity endorsements, creative tag lines, and even curious promotions look to supplement sales. While statistics and performance can have one brand reign supreme, that precarious position is not permanent. When the next campaign purports that food tastes better with a particular beverage or the world is a happier place everyone sings in perfect harmony, the reality is that there is no detente in these beverage battles. Unlike the Cold War, the Cola Wars will seemingly have no end in sight.