Pepsi vs. Coke: The Power of Comfort in Marketing

By Grace Johnson | Graphic by Maren Flagsted |

With the emergence of social media and various online sectors in the early 2000s, digital marketing has taken the forefront in promoting and selling products. This online presence helps brands strengthen their image, reach global audiences and spark subtle competition by expanding consumer choices.

This begs the question – how do companies win us over? 

Psychology professor Dr. Norberto Grzywacz specializes in aesthetic values and how they contribute to individual preferences. According to Grzywacz, around 35 percent of our preferences are innate and 65 percent come from outside influence. While humans do have biological preferences, the determining factor of brand & product popularity is societal and cultural influence. 

Emotion also plays a role in determining consumers’ purchase preferences. Data from functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) shows that consumers resort to emotions rather than information from advertising. Marketing tactics tap into our lived experiences and personal feelings, which is the primary reason why consumers stick to brand-name products even when alternatives might be cheaper. 

This is exemplified in the Pepsi vs Coke debate. Each brand’s marketing tactics allow them to make an emotional connection with people, increasing the loyalty of customers. In the 1980s, Pepsi’s popularity seemed to increase after releasing an ad featuring a blind taste test of Pepsi vs. Coke. Though most people chose Pepsi as a superior-tasting beverage, Coke has remained the cola leader since 2004. 

But why did so many consumers stick with Coke despite Pepsi’s success? Coke’s advertising was able to emphasize emotional responses in consumers. Their marketing tactics showed how the drink is a shared experience, reminding us of family and friends. 

A study by Baylor College of Medicine observed consumers’ brain activity in response to Pepsi versus Coke. They found that Pepsi was associated with high levels of activity in the ventral putamen, which is the region in the brain involved with taste perception. Coke produced most activity in the prefrontal cortex, which is associated with emotional response and memory processing. Coca-Cola is living proof that branding associated with emotional response is just as strong as the actual taste of the product itself. 

But just how strong is the connection between decision making and emotional response?

Dr. Norberto Grzywacz explains that the brain has a decision-making network called the valuation system. A lot of our emotions come from the limbic system in the brain, which interacts with the valuation system. He does note that there are some emotions completely separate from the decision-making sector of the brain, such as fear. However, the emotions we feel from seeing something aesthetically pleasing can trigger memory or strong emotional responses, directly interfering with the valuation system. This is why the overlap between decision making and emotions is so prevalent.

It’s important to recognize that many marketing strategies for brands rely on strong emotional responses in consumers to fuel their sales. With this in mind, I encourage you to challenge your emotional connections with products to see if something out there there is simply better.