Taste Vs brand strength - The Coke vs Pepsi War

You know that classic debate: Pepsi or Coke?

Most people say Pepsi tastes better in blind taste tests.

But guess who still wins the market?

Coke. Every single time.

Why?

Because the war isn’t in your mouth.
It’s in your brain.

Martin Lindstrom, in his book Buyology, partnered with neuroscientists and conducted an experiment using fMRI machines—these machines scan brain activity in real-time.
They brought in a group of volunteers, gave them sips of cola, and monitored their brain responses.

Phase 1: The Blind Taste Test
Participants were first given unbranded cola—just an anonymous sip of soda.
Majority of them said Pepsi tasted better.
Their brain scans?
They lit up in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex—the area that processes pleasure.
No surprises. Taste-wise, Pepsi was winning.

Phase 2: The Branded Taste Test
Now the same participants were told which brand they were drinking.
When they took a sip of Coke—knowing it was Coke—something fascinating happened.
Their brain activity changed.
This time, a different region lit up: the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex—the area tied to memory and emotions.

Coke didn’t win because of taste.

It won because of associations—family barbecues, holiday ads, that iconic red branding, and maybe even the “Share a Coke” campaign.
In short:
Pepsi wins on the tongue.
Coke wins in the heart.

This isn’t just about soda.

It’s about how branding taps into our memories and emotions, even overriding our sensory experience.

Your product doesn’t have to be the best tasting, fastest, or cheapest.
But if your brand makes people feel something, you win.
Every. Single. Time.

Want your brand to trigger emotion, not just attention?
Start thinking like Coke.
Build memories, not just features.