Top Dog Versus Underdog

 Tale as old as time, Coke versus Pepsi. The dreaded question, when you order one drink, and the waiter asks if the other brand is okay. I sit here typing this as I am drinking a Diet Coke, very clearly on one side of the fence versus the other. 

• What is the brand strategy being used by the top dog? What is the brand strategy being used by the underdog?

Coca Cola has long been a brand that embraces it's logo and iconography as a brand to sell it's product. It's marketing characters are often cartoons, such as their iconic polar bear. While Pepsi, has been a brand synonymous with the celebrity endorsement from legends such as Michael Jackson to more recent celebs like Kendall Jenner. 

• How can the underdog improve its strategy so that it can gain more market share and surpass the top dog? Provide three recommendations.

While answering the previous question, I knew I wanted to address Kendall Jenner in a way that really discussed how Pepsi can be so obsessed with celebrity, that they can fall tone deaf at times. Coca Cola is not a brand known for taking political or social stances, they just rely on their iconic product to sell itself much of the time. Pepsi has attempted to tap into generational interests by having the hottest celebrities, and sometimes, the hottest topics as the focus of their ads. Kendal Jenner's Pepsi ad in particular was a major flop for Pepsi, having many people call it insensitive, tone deaf, or even just downright offensive. 

Referring specifically to the video "Jamie Gutfreund: Realism and Idealism: Understanding Gen Z (Future of Storytelling 2015)" Gen Z specifically has no interest in celebrities selling products to sell a fantasy world, like depicted in the Kendall Jenner Pepsi ad. The idea that a model could strut up to a police officer during a racial injustice protest and hand him a Pepsi to solve all the conflict sat very poorly with most audiences. Pepsi either needs to be more aware of the messages they're portraying or they need to stop attempting to make every commercial be some sort of statement. The product should stand on it's own, with simple yet effective advertising, like their competitor. 

Not every Pepsi ad needs a celebrity, and the current generation of consumers is far more interested in real life relatable stories. Perhaps it's time Pepsi drops the star studded budget and starts telling the stories of the people who actually purchase their products.

• Why do you believe consumers prefer the top dog over the underdog? Which do you prefer, and why?

It's hard to say why someone would prefer Coca Cola to Pepsi aside from something subjective such as taste. Pepsi, to me, is less appetizing, which is why I never purchase it for myself. Diet Coke is always in my fridge, and I think it'll always stay that way.