Pepsi is the one of the world’s biggest carbonated beverages. It is the major competitor of Coca-Cola, another American carbonated beverage that was developed in 1886, 133 years ago. Pepsi has been in the market for 126 years if you measure its existence since its inception in 1893.
The History of Pepsi
Pepsi, like many other famous beverages on the market today, was created in a pharmacy by a chemist. Caleb Bradham was the man behind the creation of Pepsi. When he first presented the drink in 1893, it was simply known as “Brad’s Drink.” It was born in New Bern, North Carolina.
In 1898, the drink was renamed Pepsi Cola. The new name was inspired by the Greek term for digestion, which sounds similar to Pepsi. The Pepsi portion was meant to signify “to help,” while the cola part was derived from one of the components, the kola nut, an African fruit that contains caffeine.
Bradham’s objective when he designed the drink was to provide something that would improve users’ energy while also aiding digestion. As sales soared, the bottling of Pepsi-Cola was relocated from Bradham’s pharmacy to a warehouse in 1903.
Indeed, Pepsi-Cola was marketed and promoted as a digestive aid, with the tagline “Exhilarating, Invigorating, Aids Digestion.” It changed approach as sales increased. By 1909, it got its first famous backer, American automobile racer driver Barney Oldfield. The new Pepsi-Cola tagline is “Drink Pepsi-Cola. It Will Satisfy You” helped make Oldfield famous.
The soft drink’s name was reduced to Pepsi in 1961. To this day, the product is associated with celebrity endorsers.
Pepsi Globally Adapts
Pepsi positioned its brand and goods as drinks and snacks with a variety of options, including healthier products as a result of its numerous acquisitions. Pepsi aspired to be known as a brand that exudes young vitality, which is evident in its marketing and advertising efforts. It guarantees that its various items are easily accessible and reasonably priced, making them appealing to people of all economic levels. Its international introduction of smaller versions of its soft drinks brand makes it more accessible and inexpensive, particularly to youngsters and teens who live a fast-paced and modern lifestyle.
Pepsi spends considerably in packaging and product innovation in addition to its price strategies. It continues to provide better and more nutritious alternatives in its other goods and has made packaging improvements in order to keep existing customers and attract new ones.
The organisation believes in having a presence in both traditional and digital media. It is proactive in maintaining its market presence by utilising all accessible platforms. Bring Home Happiness is one of the more popular videos that Pepsi broadcasts on digital media.
Pepsi has launched various notable ads throughout the years, including the Pepsi Generation campaign, which targeted baby boomers, and the introduction of Diet Pepsi for younger customers.
It also ventured into a number of overseas markets. Pepsi was the first American-made product to be sold in the former Soviet Union when it was introduced in 1974.
Project Blue, another Pepsi marketing approach, was introduced in 1996 in a number of overseas regions. It was a commemorative campaign for the company’s centenary year. To promote the approach, many publicity stunts were conducted. Aside from other efforts, it had a banner hung on the Mir space station and painted a Concorde airliner blue. It also marked the debut of the Pepsi Globe logo.
Branding is highly crucial, and Pepsi is an innovator since it is aggressive and young. It stated in 2008 that it will be changing its logo once more. Pepsi, Pepsi Max, and Diet Pepsi began adopting lower case letters for their Pepsi Globe logos in 2009, suggesting “smiles” with the angle of the white band shifting depending on the product.
From 2009 to 2010, the new logo was introduced throughout Pepsi’s markets, first in Canada and then spreading to South American markets, Australia, the Philippines, and the rest of the world.
Pepsi began employing specialised marketing in the 1940s. Walter Mack was the business president at the time. He discovered that the mostly white-owned firms were ignoring the Black American market, often known as the Negro market. He saw it as an undiscovered market and organised a team to solely promote to the black community. His efforts were impeded by WWII, but he persisted thereafter, enlisting Edward F. Boyd to lead a 12-person advertising staff.
They developed a campaign that portrayed black people in a good manner. One commercial portrayed Ron Brown as a young boy. He went on to become the United States Secretary of Commerce. Another advertisement, “Leaders in Their Fields,” highlighted 20 African Americans who were leaders in their fields, including Gordon Parks and Ralph Bunche.
By the 1950s, the drive to embrace diversity had improved Pepsi sales in the black community, with Pepsi outselling Coca-Cola.