The Age of Advertising: Competition! – Coca-Cola and Pepsi-Cola (World War Two)

Here are dueling advertisements from 1945 for Coca-Cola, and, Pepsi (Cola), the former from The New York Times, and the latter from that same newspaper or (hmmm…?) The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Though Coca-Cola used the image of a fighter pilot to promote their product, the advertisement carries no mention of – and implies no endorsement by – the Army Air Force.  It’s the visual symbolism that counts. 

Interestingly, given that the pilot is seated in a Razorback version of the P-47D Thunderbolt fighter plane and wearing “early” style two-piece goggles, perhaps the Coca-Cola company created this ad by using a stock publicity photo from earlier in the, war as a basis for the advertisement.  

The Pepsi ad?  Simple, and to-the-point.

They’re both still around.  Many things change, but a few remain the same!