Coke vs. Pepsi

According to the Independent, researchers have proven that the difference between Coke and Pepsi really is all in your head. Apparently the popularity of Coke's brand image causes people to think Coca-Cola itself tastes better, even though it really doesn't taste very different from Pepsi. As the article says: "When asked to taste blind, they showed no preference. However, when the participants were shown company logos before they drank, the Coke label, the more famous of the two, had a dramatic impact: three-quarters of the tasters declared they preferred Coke." I've long suspected this. Personally I can't taste any difference between Coke and Pepsi, but I have a friend who swears passionately that there's a huge difference. Now I can show him this research to prove that he's simply been brainwashed by advertising. Oh, and the Pepsi Taste Test also turns out to be nothing but hot air: "The findings suggest there is no scientific basis for claims made during the Pepsi ad campaign in which testers purportedly chose Pepsi over Coke when they were not told what they were drinking."

Advertising Food

Posted on Tue Oct 19, 2004



Comments

thanks Razela..you've been a big help..i'll tell you my results when i'm fully done!
Posted by Brenda  on  Wed Apr 13, 2005  at  05:22 PM
Pepsi is better than Coke because...
1)It has way less sugar, the sugar in coke mattes your teeth and gives you this disgusting feeling

2) Coke goes flat faster than Pepsi.

3) Pepsi has more carbonation.
Posted by Austin Sims  on  Sat Apr 30, 2005  at  11:59 AM
omg coke rules pepsi copied as is such a stupid company
Posted by rachel  on  Mon May 09, 2005  at  12:25 PM
I have a little bit of input on this particular subject. I have been an employee of the Coca Cola Company for 7 years now, and would like to weigh in with my two cents. First of all, anyone who is claiming to know recipe differences between coke and pepsi really needs to note the sources of this information. Both of those formulas are closely guarded secrets(there are only a handful of people in the world who know exactly how much of what goes into coke) The product arrives in a premade syrup form at nearly every production facility in the U.S. outside of Atlana. Secondly, Pepsi nearly fell off the face of the planet, and was getting absolutely killed by Coke in sales until Pepsi picked up the mountain dew product. Had they not, we would be talking about them now with the distant fondness that my grandparents talked about Moxy cola with. Yes, I believe there is a discernable difference in flavor between the two. Here is the real bottom line in the flavor difference between Pepsi and Coke(and the reason I work for the company). Coke simply cuts through the flavor of a hard liquor much better than Pepsi does. People may not be able to tell the diffence between Coke and Pepsi, but they can definately tell the difference between a rum and Coke, and a rum and Pepsi. That may be a little more than two cents, but you guys can keep the change.
Posted by Matt  on  Thu Jun 16, 2005  at  12:48 AM
I can pick out coke and pepsi in a blind taste test among 4 colas. The other two are RC cola and Faygo cola. The latter two are very similar for me wich I only got right about half the time. However out of the 15-20 times I have done this i have only confused coke for pepsi twice and never the other way around. Still i beleive that the general public is just ignorant and subject to advertising. By the way am a Pepsi drinker. (this was out of the can or bottle. it is much harder to do by fountain.)
Posted by Mike  on  Fri Aug 12, 2005  at  10:57 PM
I actually took the original Pepsi Challenge in the late 1970's, and I noticed they switched the glass bottles so it would look like a Coke drinker actually preferred Pepsi. The problem with this is that anyone who is familiar with both tastes will recognize which is which and realize there was a switch.

Anyway, what about the people who loved Coke but hated New Coke? If the difference was in people's heads they wouldn't have even known the formula had changed.

I prefer Dr. Pepper myself, to avoid being a part of this tumultuous turmoil.
Posted by eriC draveS  on  Fri Aug 26, 2005  at  02:07 AM
i know that pepsi is my favorit,anyways my class did this experaments and less than half of the class didnt know the difference between Coke and Pepsi, of coures I got it right.My class mates said that Pepsi is sweeter and Coke is more frizzier. 😊 :shut: oh and some people say that the drink a certain brand because they like the polar bear or the singer or actor that spunser it. you know Britney Spears with Pepsi 😉, but hay write me up if you find out some thing. SEEYA
ITS ALL ABOUT EAST L.A. YEEEAAAH
Posted by cristina .c  on  Fri Aug 26, 2005  at  12:01 PM
coke has more phosphoric acid than pepsi, and it will eat away rust. if it eats away rust, just imagine what itll do to your stomach. thats why i will now drink no coke.
Posted by Amanda  on  Tue Sep 06, 2005  at  06:29 PM
You are aware that your stomach naturally contains hydrochloric acid, aren't you? It's in much higher concentrations and amounts than what you find in Coke.
Posted by Charybdis  on  Wed Sep 07, 2005  at  08:23 AM
coke is truly better than pepsi because it is sweeter and pepsi goes flat way too quickly.
Posted by bt  on  Sat Sep 10, 2005  at  03:16 PM
Hell, I'D drink coke if I was dying of thirst!
Posted by Alex  on  Wed Sep 14, 2005  at  08:06 PM
IF you can not tell the differnce between Coke and pepsi than YOU SUCK!!!!


COKE is way FREAKING BETTER DUMB ASS
Posted by JJ  on  Wed Sep 28, 2005  at  10:21 AM
I like them both. JUST GIVE ME COLA!!!! Colaaaaaaaa! Actually, I will take an RC whenever possible, 'cuz it's cool to root for the underdog. Yo.
Posted by Jer  on  Thu Sep 29, 2005  at  05:45 PM
COKE is way better than PEPSI...pepsi is way flatter and more watery...COKE RULES
Posted by KK  on  Wed Oct 12, 2005  at  12:15 PM
I have to agree with some of the commenters here. I -can- taste the difference between Pepsi and Coca Cola. For me, I prefer Pepsi. Coca Cola has always tasted disgusting.

In one such situation, I was at a cookout when a friend handed me soda. It was disgusting! She told me it was Coca Cola after.
Posted by Sebastian Nickler  on  Wed Oct 19, 2005  at  10:31 PM
I love Pepsi more that any other soda and im like obsesed with it because its just the greatest thing Coke is Discusting because of that Rotten tast it gives after Drinking it BLAH i love pepsi that i drink one Every Day and My friends and i will go around the school asking people what they pefere but i almost all the time Get the word Pepsi sometimes Coke but the people that say that i guess like it better i love Pepsi and all pepsi Products and i always will PEPSI FOREVER!!!!!!
Posted by Don Stapelfeld  on  Thu Oct 20, 2005  at  08:01 AM
Anyone with a taste bud that functions should be able to tell the difference between the two drinks. Not only that but, as other people have mentioned, formulas do taste different in different countries. Coke from most of the USA does taste different than Coke almost anywhere else in the world. Even the diet versions taste vastly different. As far as being brain washed by advertising, how about not believing everything you ever see in print? Any good researcher can make the results do whatever they want them to do!
Posted by Colin  on  Fri Oct 28, 2005  at  05:52 PM
i just hate the way pepsi makes fun of coke in there commercials. Those commercials are so stupid, they would never happen in real life. Coke doesn't need to dis pepsi in there comercial because i think coke makes more money jus in macdonalds then all of pepsi sales. coke should dis pepsi in there comercials because pepsi does it to them but coke doesn't need to they make good comercial that get there point across.When pepsi disses coke i think it shows that there desperate. Coke should dis pepsi so they can get a taste of there own medicine.
Posted by joe  on  Sun Nov 06, 2005  at  01:56 PM
Pepsi sucks 'cause everything Coke comes out with, Pepsi has to do the EXACT same thing I mean EXACTLY the SAME. And them fuckin Pepsi commercials always are like the Coke worker guy stealing Pepsi. Coke should sue fuckin Pepsi. Yes coke does go flat quicker but Pepsi has a weird taste.
Posted by pepsi sucks  on  Wed Nov 09, 2005  at  06:02 PM
I'm a Pepsi girl myself, mainly for the fact that Pepsi is sweeter with less carbonation... Coke has a bad aftertaste and the bubbles annoy me.

However I honestly think it's just in the head. I may like it only because it says Pepsi... since I have prefered it for so long.
Posted by Nicole  on  Sun Nov 13, 2005  at  11:17 PM
we are starting our project and ours is who could taste soda better boys or girls?between coke & pepsi,we are doing about 5 boys & girls, but the problem is that pepsi tastes just like coke.
brenda angulo
Posted by brenda  on  Thu Dec 01, 2005  at  08:17 AM
I perfer pepsi but i dont even drink soda any more. My mom cant live without her daily pepsi thought, but now it is Vinilla Pepsi. I am a water girl myself.
Posted by Lindsey  on  Sun Dec 04, 2005  at  01:33 PM
Pepsi is good and so is coke but RC RULZ!! lol :lol:
Posted by Libs  on  Wed Dec 14, 2005  at  10:33 AM
Every person who prefers coke over pepsi is an idiot and full of shit. Pepsi is way better
Posted by Jordan "The Great"  on  Fri Dec 16, 2005  at  08:19 AM
I personally think that coke and pepsi taste the same, I used to have a favorite but I dont now, cuz come to think of it it tastes the same. Im doing my science project on whether or not you CAN tell the difference between coke and pepsi. Some people say coke has more fizz or some people say that pepsi tastes way more better and coke is flat. I think its all a matter of whats going on in your head. I think there is no difference.

~Sammie, I love Khlab~
Posted by Samantha Hatt  on  Mon Dec 19, 2005  at  11:31 AM
I have drank both coke and pepsi and have other friends the real difference is that for those people who get migrains or sever headachs seem to get them more often if they drink pepsi but less often with coke. Now before you try to say it is the package you should know i am blind and dont "see" any difference they are both round cans one no more distinct than the other
Posted by virginia smith  on  Fri Dec 23, 2005  at  07:51 AM
The acid in your stomache is a lot stonger than coke or pepsi i have heard oh coke will eat through raw hamberger and rust but i am still alive after 35yrs and i almost unfortunitly because it is more expensive go through a case a week
Posted by virginia smith  on  Fri Dec 23, 2005  at  08:14 AM
I totally agree with this article. Those of you who think that it's incorrect should really try a blind taste test. I'm convinced that most cannot tell the difference between the two sodas.. heck even the generic sodas taste the same. There are such things as 'SUPERTASTERS'... most of us are not.. there are those who can.. Out of my class of 40 only 2 could tell the difference in a blind taste test.
Posted by Jessika  on  Sun Dec 25, 2005  at  12:11 AM
Coke rules!!!!Even tho i still drink pepsi from time to time I would say that coke is way better.Pepsi is a copy cat copying every little thig that coke does and then goes and makes fun of them.Hello pepsi if you make fun or dis the company that you copy all of your ideas from it is like you are dising your self.And I was talkin to one of my friends and he said that he drank pepsi once and he thew up.
Posted by Coke girl 4 ever  on  Tue Dec 27, 2005  at  11:15 AM
man there is a huge difference. pepsi sucks and coke rules! and i've asked for coke in restaurants and they sometimes give me pepsi and i notice right away. and when i ask them what it is they will say pepsi. 😠
Posted by me  on  Tue Jan 10, 2006  at  01:23 PM
Everyone should be able to tell the differnce...because Pepsi is smoother and taste much better....Coke is to corse and taste like crap..all of my friends and my boyfriend and family can tell the diff.
<3britt..
Posted by Briitany  on  Fri Jan 13, 2006  at  12:08 PM
Pepsi tastes like water. Coke has more fiz, and a more distinctive taste. Some people say the only reason Coke is popular is its ad's, but no matter how great the ad, if the product sucks...no one is gonna buy it. Pepsi relies on making Coke look stupid in their ads...Pepsi...you suck cola ass.
Posted by Coke guy  on  Sat Jan 14, 2006  at  01:18 PM
Hey Coke guy. Wanna throw it down, biatch? Just kidding. But obviously I am a pepsi fan. I use to consider my self a Pepsiholic. But I disagree about the water thing. I think Coke tastes like water and shit. Pepsi has a much better taste. But it's all personal choice. So I guess there really isn't a "better" one.

But to the person who said RC is good.....WHERE THE HELL DO YOU COME FROM? RC sucks! It tastes like medicine and dog poop. YES, I have tried it, and it's gross.
Posted by Mr. Pep  on  Sat Jan 14, 2006  at  03:40 PM
My unit is gorrila if u familya go away befo milya
Posted by hehe  on  Mon Jan 16, 2006  at  04:12 PM
PEPSI TASTES WAYYYYYYY BETTER THAN COKE.cOKE SUCKS, PEPSI RULES!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by Deja  on  Mon Jan 23, 2006  at  05:45 PM
coke is okay but i would say that i like pepsi better.....coke after a while starts to taste like shit and i hate it......anyway that is all i have ttyl..
<3 Guess
Posted by Guess  on  Wed Jan 25, 2006  at  02:48 PM
I prefer diet pepsi over diet coke. It seems to me that when I drink coke it seems harsher going down. Pepsi goes down smoother. I also think Pepsi is smoother - I have taken the test and I was able to decifer the two.
Posted by Jill Junker  on  Tue Feb 14, 2006  at  01:44 PM
well i think that coke does taste better. i have to say that pepsi has a little too much sugar.i rather drink cokr than pepsi. i would rather have a coke in a glass bottle, u know one of those old ones. i think that coke in a plastic bottle and in a can can give it a different taste. b/c of the particles in each bottle. so it really depends on what kind of bottle or can u drink from. like i said i prefer in a glass bottle b/c of the freshness.
Posted by giselle  on  Mon Feb 20, 2006  at  06:53 PM
I have this school assignment about a persausive paragraph.It is about Coca Cola V.S. Pepsi....i need to know more about it!!!IT'S DUE TOMORROW!!HELP!!
Posted by Nicolette  on  Mon Feb 27, 2006  at  04:44 PM
PEPSI ROX MY SOX!! 😉

l8er ,hommies!peace!
Posted by Nicolette  on  Mon Feb 27, 2006  at  04:50 PM
Hey, okkay i have just done a science experiment on coke and pepsi on 13-15 year olds. 2 of the 4 subjects could not tell the taste of coke to the taste of pepsi. Me myself can tell very easily.
I just wanna know WHY! what is the difference??!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!??!?!?! COKE is Like A FLAT pepsi!
Posted by Cass  on  Wed Mar 08, 2006  at  06:05 PM
I have a preference to Coke and will try to buy Coke instead of Pepsi but I'll sometime get Pepsi if it's on sale. It's not that great of a difference. The annoying thing is that Pepsi will go flat within minutes whereas Coke remains carbonated until the next day (if you ever put a partially finished can in the fridge). I hate Pepsi's lack of carbonation, it really accentuates the fact that with all colas, you're basically drinking sugar water!
Posted by Craig  on  Fri Mar 10, 2006  at  04:45 PM
Those researchers are completely wrong. I would bet everything I own that I would be able to easily tell the difference between Coke and Pepsi. For someone who has been drinking one of them their whole life, they are as easy to tell apart as water and sewage would be. That study may be true for someone who doesn't drink either very often, but it's completely false for the hardcore cola drinkers.
Posted by Chris  on  Mon Apr 17, 2006  at  12:17 AM
Pepsi is too sweat and it's disgusting. I like Coca-Cola alot better. Maybe Pepsi doesn't flat as fast as Coke, I don't know but I sure taste a difference between the two products and my choice is definitly Coke.
And those crappy pepsi commercials! The always have to dis Coca-Cola... that proves Coke is better
Posted by Need to know?  on  Tue Apr 18, 2006  at  03:25 PM
I cannot taste any difference between the two, and my tastebuds are fine.

They have the same ingredients, and same nutritional values-meaning if they do contain the same thing theyre coincidentally the same energy as well, which is rare when you mix different ingredients.
Posted by Tlreality  on  Sat Apr 29, 2006  at  01:25 PM
I also like SOHO
Posted by spokey  on  Thu May 11, 2006  at  08:43 AM
yeah,well, my opinion is that pepsi and coke is the same dam thing just ones in a blue can and ones in a red one, eh?

ill take either one actually, cant taste the difference.but the truth of the matter is... u get the same affect whether u drink coke or pepsi.u become a big fattie and drink the crap uncontrollibly.

gotta love the brown fuzzy junk, though
Posted by ray ray  on  Sat May 20, 2006  at  09:03 PM
coke is alot stronger than pepsi
Posted by tj  on  Fri May 26, 2006  at  03:40 PM
okay...there's a difference between coke and pepsi...MANY people can actually tell the difference and i don't get the SUPER TASTERS crap!! okay, maybe some people can't tell the difference in taste tests but think of all the people that ARE able to distinguish between the two. As far as people preferring one over the other, everyone is different. its the same as people preferring beef over pork or pork over beef; we simply all like different things. and with the people who can't tell the difference, i guess people just have stronger taste buds than others...
Posted by Candice  on  Wed Jun 07, 2006  at  11:52 AM
i lke pepsi better because it is sweeter, coke is fizzy and has a more stronger flavour.
Posted by ben  on  Wed Aug 30, 2006  at  07:48 PM
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