Pepsi Reignites The 'Cola Wars' Against Coke, 50 Years Later
The saying "history repeats itself" has never rung truer for the soda industry than right now. Pepsi has decided to fully embrace these divisive times by reigniting the infamous "Cola Wars," announcing a new "Pepsi Challenge" just in time for America's annual mass-soda consumption event: the Super Bowl. For those not in tune with the marketing ploys of the mid-70s, the Cola Wars originally began when Pepsi, then struggling to keep up with Coca-Cola, first introduced the Pepsi Challenge to discover which brand would win in a blind taste test. Now, the question is asked once more.
According to a Pepsi press release shared with Tasting Table, "Based on a nationally-conducted taste test, Pepsi Zero Sugar tastes better and is more refreshing than Coke Zero. To celebrate, Pepsi is bringing it back to where it all started with The Pepsi Challenge—this time, featuring Pepsi Zero Sugar because the brand is confident America will agree it's the superior zero-sugar cola."
Back in the day, Pepsi's gimmick was extremely effective. It soon became clear that people preferred the brand's sweeter soft drink formula to Coke's. What ensued was decades of ruthless rivalries between the two, with Coca-Cola eventually clawing its way back to the top as the industry leader. While the modern-day Pepsi Challenge hasn't launched yet, a year ago, we here at Tasting Table conducted our own Pepsi Zero Sugar vs. Coke Zero taste test — and we must admit, Pepsi won hands down.
How does the modern Pepsi Challenge work?
Pepsi may have won the battle — or, um, the challenge — but it ultimately lost the war, and now the soda brand is out for blood. As you can see, the modern version of the Pepsi Challenge doesn't involve the original drink formula for either brand. Considering that Coca-Cola was so shaken by the original Pepsi Challenge that they began experimenting with new, sweeter formulas, perhaps that's a good thing. While this new challenge compares both brands' sugar-free soda options, it has the same simple rules and setup as the original.
As described in Pepsi's official press release, "Challengers are presented with two unmarked cups – Cup A and Cup B – containing Pepsi Zero Sugar and Coke Zero Sugar." From there, both cups are sampled, and it's up to you to decide which drink tastes better. Additionally, Pepsi is launching its in-person challenge starting on February 6th in New Orleans's "Chips and Sips Quarter" and will continue through the 9th. The venue is located a mere 10 minutes from where Super Bowl LIX will take place.
In March, Pepsi plans to take its Pepsi Challenge on the road for the Pepsi Challenge Nationwide Tour, allowing consumers to conduct their own blind taste tests at participating locations across the continental U.S. At the risk of swaying your choice, the team at Pepsi claims that "choosing Pepsi Zero Sugar...unlocks unique celebratory experiences for those with great taste." We're sure all of it will be heavily documented via social media and TV commercials, but if you'd like to know more, visit the official Pepsi Challenge website.