Coca Cola Before 1970, Coca
Before 1970, Coca Cola was the only major player in the carbonated beverage industry. There were other players, popular in some markets, but Coke dominated the global market. Then, in the 1980s an interesting marketing phenomenon began – the so-called "Cola Wars." This was the term for the manner in which Coca Cola now had to go on the defensive and vie to remain a leader in the soft-drink market. The war is fought in the trenches of product endorsements, the world of advertising, motion pictures, modern social networks, and even events like the space shuttle launch. Although Coca Cola continues to rest on its laurels as the "real soft drink," Pepsi continues to challenge the organization as the drink "for a new generation." Both companies have launched new products, cancelled products, and tried desperately to gain control over a huge and fickle global market (lemon, lime, cherry flavors, new delivery mechanisms, new tries at diet drinks, etc.). What is most interesting from a business standpoint, though, is that a clear winner never really emerges. Instead, we see peaks and valleys for both companies' balance sheets, and a clear increase in carbonated soft drink niche on a global basis.