PBS' "Nightly Business Report" examined the new "battle for
Britain" between Coke and Pepsi. Pepsi will be using "a new
advertising weapon" in supermodel Cindy Crawford. PepsiCo
Int'l/Europe VP/Advertising Larry McInstosh: "Today Coke and
Pepsi are neck and neck in the States. And while a lot of
factors have contributed to our success, it was our advertising
that really convinced millions of Americans to be part of the
Pepsi generation." In November in the UK, Coke's market share
"dipped below 50% for the first time ever" to 42.2%, while Pepsi
had a 20.1% market share ("NBR," PBS, 1/19). Pepsi's new U.S.
campaign, which debuts during the Super Bowl, will feature the
slogan: "Nothing Else is a Pepsi." The company is "backing off
from its youth kick" and emphasizing "brand tradition" in order
to target a wider audience (Harry Berkowitz, N.Y. NEWSDAY, 1/20).
In New York, Stuart Elliott examines Coca-Cola's agency strategy
--based on creative criteria instead of those used to dealing
with huge corporations (N.Y. TIMES, 1/20).
