Coke and Pepsi – two sides on reopening

When giant brands make moves, other people decide they should as well,” says Marketing Dive publication. Stepping up to bat now could send a signal to the rest of the industry that it’s OK to talk about a long-awaited reopening, even as pandemic uncertainties linger. Navigating those uncertainties remains a challenge.

Pepsi: The mess we miss

Pepsi is running a national TV spot titled “The Mess We Miss” that depicts a future where people joyously return to a variety of germ-spreading activities, including sharing food and drinks, to the tune of “Tomorrow” from the musical “Annie.”

Pepsi’s ad, developed with VaynerMedia, doesn’t hesitate to show the types of close encounters that have become loaded with risk, with spittle and sweat flying and several close-ups of hands making contact. Many consumers will likely continue to hold onto hygiene habits adopted during the pandemic, including mask-wearing and thorough hand-washing, for the near future. While Pepsi’s concept is deliberately forward-looking, viewers traumatized by the past year may simply not be ready to engage with representations of messy pre-pandemic behaviors. Many activities in the ad theoretically should be reserved for vaccinated consumers based on guidance from public health officials.

One benefit of Pepsi taking a bigger swing for the fences is that it could stand out from the comparatively staid messaging that’s emerged around COVID-19 as marketers attempt to steer clear of any public backlash.

Coke. Open for Summer

Coca-Cola last week introduced packaging that features poetic copy themed around being “Open for Summer”.  Coke’s summer packaging makes poetic reference to seasonal activities that are starting to return. Bottles feature a series of poems themed around seasonal activities that are starting to return with wider vaccine rollouts. TV ads show gatherings in sun-dappled settings such as backyard barbecues and include voiceover lines like, “The day the world stopped was the day we found where to go. From now on, we’re not going to leave everything on our plates because we’ve learned to savor the moments that were always there. ” Coke’s special packaging will be available at stores through Aug. 8. Some experts viewed Coke’s cautious approach as a potentially safer model to follow.

Coke’s positioning ultimately does not create as striking an impression as Pepsi’s but might resonate all the same while avoiding the minefield of public health discourse. And while Coke and Pepsi’s tactics differ in key ways, they together help set the tone for the category at large as marketers look to thread the needle between messaging around the change in season and passing a key milestone in the fight against COVID-19.

It’s such an interesting moment in culture where everyone is really thinking about the same thing and talking about the same thing.