Coke challenge: Coca-Cola vs. Pepsi

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Introduction
The Coke Challenge: Do we actually like Pepsi better than Coca-Cola?
The Classic Pepsi Challenge
The Pepsi Challenge 2.0
A surprising twist
Coca-Cola makes you think

Marketing

Written by Niek van Son MSc on January 22, 2025

Last updated August 16, 2025

Introduction

In the world of soft drinks, there are two giants that dominate the industry - Coca Cola and Pepsi. These two brands have been sworn rivals for more than a century, each with its own unique recipe and fan base. But which of these two really dominates in terms of taste? In this article, we dive deep into the "Cola Challenge," a taste test in which visitors will drink Coca Cola and Pepsi from two cups, without a label from the brand.

The Coke Challenge: Do we actually like Pepsi better than Coca-Cola?

There are many psychological effects behind the perception surrounding a brand. For example, research shows that 75% of cola drinkers prefer Coca-Cola to Pepsi. At least, if they know they are drinking Coca-Cola. In blind tests, in fact, very different results emerge. The explanation for this difference lies mainly in our associations with a brand. Research also shows that our brains react differently to the two brands.

The Classic Pepsi Challenge

In 1975, Pepsi devised a marketing stunt to finally knock Coca-Cola off its throne. In malls across America, visitors were allowed to sample two cups of Coke. Without labels or brands on them, so people had no idea which Coke they were drinking. The results were great for Pepsi. A majority of people said they liked Pepsi better than Coca-Cola, and Pepsi immediately launched a clever advertising campaign to bring these new facts to the attention of the American people.

The Pepsi Challenge 2.0

But then why is it that for years we have seen Coca-Cola as the cola brand with the best taste? A study that recorded brain activity during tasting answered that question. Subjects first tasted two colas, without knowing which brand they were. An MRI scan of their brains was also taken. Pepsi again received the most votes, but the scans also showed something interesting. In fact, when tasting Pepsi, the ventromedial prefrontal cortex of most subjects was found to be much more active. This part of the brain plays a role in making decisions based in part on feelings of reward. Simply put, tasting Pepsi feels more like a reward to the brain than tasting Coca-Cola.

A surprising twist

In a second study, the subjects did get to see which cola they were tasting. It now appeared that more than 75% of the test subjects liked Coca-Cola better than Pepsi. The brain scans also showed that very different brain regions were suddenly active than in the previous part of the test. The researchers now saw the dorsolateral cortex, hippocampus and midbrain light up when people saw a can of Coca-Cola in front of them. When seeing the Pepsi logo, this activity was absent.

Coca-Cola makes you think

The brain regions mentioned are associated in psychology with planning and higher aspects of controlled behavior. So Pepsi evokes a primal feeling in a blind test, while Coca-Cola appeals to much more evolved cognitive functions in an open test. According to the researchers, this is because of the cultural associations we have with Coca-Cola. These are formed by the advertisements we see and the places we encounter the brand, as well as the opinions of others around us. Thus, a strong brand can even determine how we think something tastes. That shows how important it is to build a strong brand for your business.

THE AUTHOR

Niek van Son MSc

Marketing Management (MSc, University of Tilburg). 10+ years of experience as an online marketing consultant (SEO - SEA). Occasionally writes articles for Frankwatching, Marketingfacts and B2bmarketeers.nl.

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