Pepsi Tries to Shift Brand Identity
In the world of soft drinks it can be stated that the fiercest rivalry is between Pepsi Co. and Coca Cola. The point of parity between these two soda giants is that they both produce brown, carbonated, sweetened beverages, though most cola die hards will swear differ completely taste wise (although the rest of us may not be so convinced). It is no secret however, that Pepsi Co. has been lagging far behind Coca Cola in respect to points of difference for the company.
Over the last century Coca Cola has set itself apart by marketing their soda as a quintessential All-American staple, pushing the sales and popularity of Coke far ahead of those of Pepsi. However Pepsi Co. looks to get back in the race with their most recent ad campaign.
The marketing team for Pepsi Co. has produced the #NOW campaign, which looks to create a younger, fresher identity for their product. This is achieved through the use of social media (hashtags on Twitter), celebrity endorsement (i.e. Nicki Minaj) and the featuring of trendy, young people consuming Pepsi products. This attempt to redevelop a “second place brand” which has never really had a specific brand identity may be enough to finally put Pepsi Co. on par with Coca Cola when it comes to popularity. Only time will tell. Meanwhile check out the #NOW commercial here.