We know that Pepsi and Coca Cola aren't the same drink. There's a lot of evidence supporting this theory: from the fact that they are packaged differently, to the fact that Pepsi has loads of pop stars such as Britney and Beyonce making mega-bucks advertisements and Coca Cola instead owns Christmas.
But that doesn't stop us thinking from time-to-time that maybe, just maybe, we're wrong.
There are two schools of thought in the Pepsi v Coka debate.
School 1: usually die-hard fans of one of the brands - "These drinks are SO different, OMG as if they even taste the same! You're so weird for saying that!".
School 2: non-loyal fizzy drink consumers - "We doubt you could tell them apart in a blind taste test."
It's confusing.
Thankfully, The Independent has dug out some serious research from journalist Malcolm Gladwell that appears to point to the exact reason why these are in fact two very different drinks and do - yes, School 1, you're right - taste different.
In his 2005 book Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking, Gladwell analysed the two drinks and discovered that Pepsi can be identified by its slightly citrus flavour and sweeter taste, as opposed to Coke's vanilla tang.
Everyone's clicking on...
This sweetness generally makes Pepsi the preferred drink in sip blind taste tests, even though usually, in real life, Coke is the more popular beverage.
Jess Edwards is Cosmopolitan UK’s Deputy Editor, working to deliver the very best experiences across the brand's platforms (print, social, video, digital), products and events, including a focus on our membership offering, Club Cosmo. Jess has worked in the media industry for almost 20 years and at Cosmopolitan for over 10 years, joining the brand as Fashion Editor and later going on to lead the digital team as Site Editor. With her background in lifestyle journalism, it is no surprise that you’re most likely to find her in the Fashion section and exploring the very best in hospitality via our Travel pages.
