Battle of the fizz: Pepsi goes green

It’s been a while since PepsiCo and Coca-Cola locked marketing heads, so welcome back to the war, as Pepsi introduces a green competitor.

Pepsi True, a new stevia-sweetened Pepsi drink in a familiar green can, will be available online through Amazon in the US later this month – with an official launch date and a wider release planned later.

Like Coca-Cola Life’s ugly green sister, Pepsi True’s can design reflects the green credentials formulated by Coca-Cola’s marketing department, perhaps signalling the beginning of another marketing war – much like the ones the public has come to know and expect from the two brands.

Reuters reported the drink had been designed to target the ‘mid calorie segment’. The drink is set to contain 60 calories.

The stevia revolution seems to sweeping across the consumer world, as the public becomes ever-more concerned with sugar and calorie content in their diets.

Chris Arnold, creative director of agency and founder of Creative Orchestra accused Pepsi of being copy cats.

He said: “You could say that Pepsi have ‘copycatted Coke by using green branding for Pepsi True but they are both trading off the whole ethical green image and I think this further devalues green messaging.”