The Reason Pepsi Is the Biggest Sports Sponsors in the World
G'day tribe. I've been exploring sports sponsorships for the last couple weeks. I explored some of the more ridiculous advertisements by todays standards Part 1 | Part 2 which includes massive tobacco companies and a company which knowingly sold a product which had a material which was harmfully deadly.
I explored Red Bull's controversial sports sponsorship strategy and how they're buying and owning football teams as a corporate business, and making mega profit off of it.
The last three days I've taken a look at the biggest sponsors in sports Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 and ultimately, Pepsi has come out on top as the biggest sports sponsor in the world.
Coca-Cola came first, originating in Atlanta in 1886. Pepsi was developed in 1898 in North Carolina. So it makes some sense that Pepsi has always been trying to chase down Coca-Cola as the preferred cola drink. I suppose that begs the question, are you are Coca-Cola or a Pepsi fan?
In terms of the general consensus, Coca-Cola is the most valuable drink in the world, worth around $33 billion and almost twice the value as Pepsi. PepsiCo however, the company that owns the Pepsi brand, is twice the size as the Coca-Cola company, and now it really makes sense why Pepsi is the biggest sports sponsors in the world.
What a step back in time looking at the below ad. I used to love watching Shoaib Akhtar and is deathly pace bowling.
Pakistan only just recently ended it's 20+ year association with Pepsi. @cryptoandcoffee highlighted to me that the Pepsi vs. Coca-Cola sponsorship is deeper than just a soft drink rivalry. It seems that Pepsi has a strong involvement with the "New East" - that's the traditional East of South, East and South-East Asia with the Middle East. Coca-Cola in contrast has a stronger association with the West.
The more I thought about it, the more I came to the conclusion that it is to do with the reach of both brands. PepsiCo is twice the size of the Coca-Cola Company and perhaps it's because it's been able to penetrate the New East a lot better than Coca-Cola has been able to do. This is why PepsiCo have become the biggest sports sponsors in the world, with an aggressive and expansive strategy across the entire world.
PepsiCo has been involved in every major league sports in America, the Pakistan cricket team as I mentioned, sponsoring stars like Michael Jackson, Britney Spears and David Beckham,a previous sponsorship of Manchester United with PepsiCo Asia-Pacific and an affiliation with the Jordan Football Association partnership to name just a few.
You've also got massive PepsiCo brands like Gatorate, Mountain Due, Aquafina, Slice, 7up and Sting which are huge worldwide. Most of these brands aren't even available where I am so it just shows how expansive the brand is.
Don't forget the company also has a huge food/snack division with Lays, Kurkure, Cheetos and Quaker falling under the PepsiCo umbrella. Anyway, I digress. I'm not advertising nor do I work for PepsiCo.
From a sports sponsorship perspective Pepsi over the years has sponsored almost every big league or tournament, and it hasn't limited itself to a specific part of the world either. It's marketing magic as it's helped to forge a deep understanding over the decades and an exposure across almost every type of sport, similar to their holistic engagement throughout the New East as well as the West.
I'll BRB tribe, might grab myself a Gatorate (a PepsiCo brand) while I write up my next post.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!
Wolfgang Sport started in 2017 as a way to connect my passion for American and British sports. Today it's evolved into a blockchain sports blog pushing the boundaries into the crypto world and embracing Web3 technologies.
The most interesting part about such brands are how they know stuff about us that we might not even know. In order to sell their products they have a massive databasis and they know what they have to show in their commercials to make us buy the product. I think this is very fascinating and scary at the same time :D
You're so correct. I've been involved in businesses that gather data and consumer information and its actually mind baffling the sorts of interpretations and consumer behaviour that comes from the data. Very powerful and VALUABLE too
Sports drinks get the higher attention, not just for sports activities and the affairs contained in the sponsorships of it,but cold storing drinks serve a great taste to the people who surround in sporting activities.
Interesting to read at different things coming in the context of soft drinks and their distinct stories at large,good post!!
I choose Coca Cola as my favorite, I like its flavor better, but in terms of Marketing what Pepsi has done to expand all over the world and be present in different sports disciplines has been great.
Marketing is everything! So they say many times, Pepsi took that role seriously and all its moves have been smart. What does surprise me is that Coca Cola has more value, taking into account that Pepsi covers more people.
You know the interesting thing, the taste of our favourite beverages varies from region to region to suit local tastes. That's what I've heard anyway. Would be great to review Coca-Cola or Pepsi from different areas around the world!
Well, you're right, for the time being I haven't tried those drinks in countries other than my own, I would like to do so if the flavor changes because I've also heard that this happens and it's something interesting.
PepsiCo seems to know that sports gain a lot of traction and choosing to sponsor major leagues and sportsmen is a smart way to grow their brand.
Yep, great way to create brand loyalty among consumers
Exactly!
First question, I think I like both Cola 😂🤣 but I love the after taste of Pepsi hahaha. I've seen a lot of football adverts by Pepsi and I can say they are pulling their weight big time.
I'm team Pepsi 😁 if I had to choose.
The rivalry definitely goes beyond the cola brand. Even here in Nigeria, despite that there are more soft drinks companies, both seem to be the most popular, always trying to outdo the other with promos.
One thing I've however noticed is that Pepsi signs up celebrities for endorsements, but I don't think Coca-Cola does as I cannot remember ever seeing one. Even with their ads, Pepsi has over the years used stars like Jay Jay Okocha, Ronaldinho, Messi, Henry etc while Coca-Cola uses random person.
I wonder if it's a policy thing.
Yep that's a very good point now that I think about it!
I certainly learned a lot about Pepsi in this blog of yours. I am still processing the fact that Pepsi beat out Red Bull.
Unforgettable Leo Messi being the face of Pepsi
I think I might have to call pepsi for some sponsorship...:) If only! Nicely written as always wolf!
thank you 😀!