They conducted this experiment by un labeling two cups and filling one with Pepsi and one with Coke. Without telling the customer which drink is which, they asked the people testing the drinks to point out which drink was liked the most. The discovery came to announce that most, almost all, testers preferred Pepsi over Coca-Cola.
Of course, Coca-Cola was not going to stand for this embarrassment, so they decided to run an experiment of their own. They placed labeled drinks of Coca-Cola and Pepsi on the tables. Then, they asked which drink was preferred by the testers. To much surprise, the results were the exact opposite. When knowing what name of drink the testers had, they chose Coca-Cola.
Why is that?
A man who has been preaching for over thirty years, and teacher Abilene once taught a lesson, and talked about Coke. His name is Randy Harris. Randy Harris once brought to my attention that Coke has discovered the method to the madness. People don’t want just products, they want more. Coke sells you a product with a story. When you think of Coke, what color comes to mind? Bright Red correct? When you think of Coke and Bright Red, you think of Santa. Santa wins the hearts and minds of children, and research shows that once you have won a child’s heart, you have won them for life.
Photo Courtesy of fotumainia! via Flickr
This is how great corporations are made to function. Coke is an establishment that grabs the hearts and minds of children. It is almost creepy to think that corporations can affect our emotions like that. Who would you choose in the Pepsi Challenge; the taste or the story? How affected are you?
Hey Josh,
ReplyDeleteFirst off, I detest Coke. I'm a Pepsi person through and through. Actually, when I was in the seventh grade the Coca-Cola vs. Pepsi experiment was what I did for my science fair project. I had the exact same findings you described above; in a blind test, people preferred the taste of Pepsi even though they expressed beforehand that Coca-Cola was their favorite.
"Coke sells you a product with a story." That's very true. The Coca-Cola company has a MUCH more sophisticated marketing campaign than Pepsi and that probably has a lot to do with why people prefer it. I mean, Pepsi's marketing is kind of pathetic. They have an abstract red and white design on a blue background. Wh00t?
"Who would you choose... the taste or the story?" I think that's an interesting question because although many people would claim that they choose products on their quality, what they're actually doing is making a decision based on how well the product is marketed. This is why people prefer to by brand names instead of off-brand products, even though the quality is basically exactly the same and the off-brand stuff is actually cheaper. (I, for one, think that Walmart off-brand apple juice is the best apple juice EVER, by the way. Try that stuff.)
This was a nifty post; thanks for putting these ideas out there. Keep writing and I'll be sure to click back here in the future.
- Mockingbird
Dear Blogger,
ReplyDeleteIt comes to no surprise to me that this true. Companies today spend millions on research to find out what consumers want and how to most effectively give it to them. All people want is the appearance that what they buy will make them happy so Coke slaps Santa on the label and who can resist that.
"The discovery came to announce that most, almost all, testers preferred Pepsi over Coca-Cola." This goes to show you how important marketing can be. And obviously Coke employs the better marketers.
"Santa wins the hearts and minds of children, and research shows that once you have won a child’s heart, you have won them for life." I have no trouble believing this. Once you have come accustom to something for so long their is no turning back. Its not like all of a sudden your going to switch for no reason.
Thanks for sharing your opinion on this subject.
Kudu.
Dear Corporation Roles:
ReplyDeletePersonally I am a Pepsi fan; I have always thought Pepsi to have a better taste and could never understand why so many people enjoy Coke-Cola as much as they do. It seems ridiculous to me that people judge their acceptance of a product more based on the story than the actual quality of the product. I find it surprising that merely putting a picture of Santa on a product label can have such an effect as to create lifetime customers.
A very interesting point you brought up in your research was that "The discovery came to announce that most, almost all, testers preferred Pepsi over Coca-Cola." As a Pepsi fan I always thought there was something wrong with me, that I preferred Pepsi over Coke and no one else shared my same views. I guess this shows me that I am more quality oriented than a follower of a story or label.
Another important point you brought up was “Santa wins the hearts and minds of children, and research shows that once you have won a child’s heart, you have won them for life.” I always had heard that the hard part of marketing is getting the customers and once you have them they are there for live but this has never been more apparent than in your research.
I enjoyed reading about the Coke and Pepsi companies through your post and believe much can learned in your research. Thank you for your good work and keep it up!
Dear Josh, sorry to say I gave up soda, but I do remember the distinct difference between the two, and I choose Coke. This is a good topic to cover because many people will ask, Coke or Pepsi?
ReplyDeleteSomething that stood out to me was when you brought up the competition between the two. When one wins, the other has to do the same in hopes of beating the other just to try and prove something.
I agree with the relation to Coke and Santa. How can you go wrong with this? Coke has made Santa their mascot around the holidays, and to win over the hearts of many children this way is too clever.
Thanks for posting this blog. It was interesting and funny how this battle probably will b=never end.
Oryx
Dear Josh,
ReplyDeleteI had heard of the Pepsi Challenge, but not what Coke did after the fact! It surprised me to hear that people liked Pepsi when they didn't know one from the other, but chose Coke when given the option.
"Coke is an establishment that grabs the hearts and minds of children." This is so true. Coke just seems to be so much more popular. I know when we go out to eat & my mom orders "Diet Coke" & they say "Is Diet Pepsi okay" she is like NO WAY! They are different & Pepsi isn't as good as coke! :P Or...is it just different??
"People don’t want just products, they want more." This is so true, & with Coke...we have it! With Pepsi...we don't. What else do you think of when you hear Pepsi? Maybe Taco Bell? But nothing deep, or anything wanting you to go out & purchase that product.
Very interesting post Josh, thank you for sharing on this topic.
Rhino
Dear Josh,
ReplyDeleteYour blog brings a lot of questions to my mind. It puts a twist on something that Ive neve thought about. You always hear about color schemes are chosen on purpose because they’re supposed to convey a message, which this obviously proves true. I never knew that coke turned aound and did he same thing, but it’s incredibly intriuging that the results were the opposite.
“Santa wins the hearts and minds of children, and research shows that once you have won a child’s heart, you have won them for life” I really like how you point out that they are preferred just because of the looks of their products. This raises a whole new level of thought just because it really shows that it’s true and that we mentally aren’t aware of the role our subconcious plays on us.
“It is almost creepy to think that corporations can affect our emotions like that.” It s really creepy. I completely agree with that. I mean it has m questioning the products I use and why I use them. Would my result be any different if I used them blinded? I could very easily think something opposite and that’s just weird to think about.
I really like your blog and I really like what you have to say. Keep it up!
Grackle
Dear Josh,
ReplyDeleteThis is so true! I also choose Coke over Pepsi, mainly because Coke will always be familiar to me.
The part that stood out most to me was the connection to Santa. That is definitely what I think of when Coca-Cola comes to mind. That, and the polar bears :). When you're a kid, you will definitely choose Santa and polar bears any day.
Another thing that stood out to me was when you asked if it the taste or story that you would choose. Most people would probably say the taste, but actually prefer the story. I'll be completely honest, I go for the story.
This was a good topic. Thanks for posting!
Bonobo