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MEMORIES:
eightieslady remembers...I used to mix Pepsi and milk together when I was a kid.Might have to get a can of Pepsi ... More »
Posted on 05/08/08
PHOTOS:
Pepsi has been the choice of a new generation since 1894, though for over 80 years before that, it was the choice for those who stopped by Caleb Bradham’s North Carolina pharmacy to pick up the refreshing drink he’d created for his soda fountain. In less than a decade, the demand for the syrup he created grew to the point where they had 15 U.S. bottling plants, and the drink’s popularity would only grow from there. In 1909, Pepsi picked up a celebrity endorsement when racing pioneer Barney Oldfield appears in newspaper ads touting Pepsi-Cola.
In 1934, Pepsi made a bold move against its competitors, such as the famous Coca-Cola brand, by selling a 12-ounce bottle for only five cents, the same price they charged for a small six-ouncer. Growth for the soft drink was incredible, and in 1938, Pepsi even had a trademark in the Soviet Union. Pepsi made advertising history in 1940, by having the first advertising jingle advertised around the nation. The song, “Nickel, Nickel” went on to become a hit that was translated into 55 languages. 1941 also proved to be an important year for Pepsi. The New York Stock Exchange started trading Pepsi’s public stock, and in support of the war effort, Pepsi switched colors to the now-familiar red, white and blue. Their support for the boys overseas didn’t end with changes on their bottles. In 1942, Pepsi sponsored efforts to help soldiers to communicate with their friends in family. Things weren’t as simple as making a call... recording equipment was brought into booths in New York City at the Pepsi Canteen, and families were invited to come in and record their voices. The equipment was then shipped overseas for the soldiers to hear.
Pepsi found tremendous opportunity as the Iron Walls were slowly peeled back. In 1959, then-US President Richard Nixon, and Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev shared a Pepsi, securing the company’s foothold abroad. As time passed through the 1960s, the youth of America became the target for Pepsi advertisement – “Now it’s Pepsi, for those who think young.” In 1964, Diet Pepsi was introduced, and the Pepsi-Cola Company picked up a little soft drink known as Mountain Dew. As they sailed into the 1970s, Pepsi was the first of the soda manufacturers to create the 2-Liter bottle. On the success of Pepsi, Diet Pepsi and “the Dew,” Pepsi became the largest soft drink brand in the U.S.
The 1980s were tremendous for Pepsi. Despite the well-documented accident during a commercial filmed with Michael Jackson, and critical failure with novelty drinks, like Crystal Pepsi, the company garnered a lot of attention from their advertising – and not just from consumers. The “New Generation” commercials garnered more than 58 awards in the ad industry, and the “blind taste tests” against Coca-Cola and Pepsi were a huge success in helping Pepsi break away from the shadow of “Coke.”
In 1998, Pepsi celebrated its 100th anniversary. For the hundreds of thousands of Pepsi fans around the world, there’ll forever be hope for at least a hundred more.
