Pepsi Throws Down the Gauntlet, Claims to Be the Superior Pairing With Rum Over Coca-Cola

(Photo: PepsiCo)

Pepsi is reigniting the debate over which is better, Pepsi or Coke. This August for National Rum Month, the company offers customers discounts to prove people should order rum and Pepsi instead of rum and Coca-Cola. 

As part of Pepsi’s new campaign, it invites consumers to elevate their cocktail game by experiencing how rum is #BetterWithPepsi. It claims Pepsi enhances the taste of rum and in a recent consumer preference study. The results of which showed that 56% of participants enjoyed mixing their spiced rum with Pepsi compared to Coke.

“Rum tends to evoke warm, sweet flavors reminiscent of caramel and vanilla, a result of the oak barrel aging progress,” explained Chef Kyle Shadix, CRC, MS, RD, renowned former Chopped contestant, and PepsiCo’s Corporate Executive Research Chef for Global Beverages. “The crisp, sweet and citrusy notes in Pepsi bring perfect balance to the warm spice notes of rum, like cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves, creating a smooth, well-rounded taste profile for a perfect summer cocktail!”

Rum and coke is a classic drink order. The standard at a bar is often a Coca-Cola and a well rum like Bacardi. A popular variation is the Cuba Libre, meaning “free Cuba”, which adds lime to the mix for a zesty kick. Jason O’Bryan of the Robb Report highlighted that cola has sweetness, acidity and bubbles making it an excellently balanced mixer.  

“For far too long people have gotten the bar call wrong when ordering the world’s most popular rum cocktail – quite often people order ‘rum and Coke’ out of conformity vs. taste preference, as our data shows that people actually prefer the taste of ‘rum and Pepsi,” said Todd Kaplan, Chief Marketing Officer – Pepsi. “We have known for years that the sweet and delicious taste profile of Pepsi pairs perfectly with the taste of rum, so we wanted to give people the opportunity to finally get it right by comping their Pepsi whenever they order rum in celebration of National Rum Month. By revealing the fact that our logo is already hidden within some of the most iconic rum brands was a fun way to bring this truth to life – after all, while Pepsi may not always be behind the bar, it should always be in the picture!”

Depending on where people live ordering a rum and coke as the standard bar call may not actually mean a Coca-Cola product but rather any soda. According to a map of linguistic differences, Southerners tend to call all soft drinks coke despite brand differences. Whatever brand you use, rum and cola is a classic combo.

Ahead of National Rum Month, for those who want to try Rum and Pepsi, the brand is offering a $0 delivery fee or up to $5 off Drizly orders for those who purchase any Pepsi product alongside rum. Use the code BetterWithPepsi starting today, July 27th. at 12 a.m. ET through August 17 at 11:59 p.m.

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