Coke & Pepsi Archetypes

“Archetypes helps us to understand the intrinsic meaning of product categories and consequently helps marketers create enduring brand identities that establish market dominance, evoke and deliver meaning to customers, and inspire customer loyalty – all potentially in socially responsible ways”.

Carol Pearson &  Margaret Mark, The hero and the outlaw

      Coke can be defined as the innocent. Indeed, you can see in their ads the message conveyed that Cola Cola believes in the purity of life, in enjoying nature, friends ans family. It seems that in Coca Cola's world, everything is beautiful like in a paradise. The goal is to be happy, and they clearly show it, from the famous song "I want to teach the world to sing", promoting universality and unity around the world, to the innocent celebration of christmas with a family of polar bears.
Actually, the brand created the modern standarized image of Santa Claus, with his white beard and red uniform. It was in 1931, when the company was looking for a way to increase its famous product sales.
From 1931 to 1964, the company advertising showed Santa Claus delivering toys, drinking a coke, raiding refrigerators...

      When you think about pepsi, the first thing that comes in mind is adventure, self-discovery. Pepsi is more modern than Coke is the way that the message addressed is to think outside the box ( also refering to the competition with the traditional and leader Coke). Pepsi archetype is thus the explorer, its ads deliver the message that with Pepsi, you have a better and a more fullfilling life. Pepsi helps you to discover and experience new things, to be part of pioneers, to express your individualism. It claims autonomy, modernity. These are all characteristics in Pepsi communications, sponsorships...
But Pepsi can also be defined as the Jester. The core desire of jesters is to live in the moment with full enjoyment, to have great time.

Sources:
Class n°7
http://www.snopes.com/holidays/christmas/santa/cocacola.asp
http://trevorfisher.com/the-innocent-archetype
http://www.coca-colacompany.com/stories/coke-lore-santa-claus
http://www.synotac.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Marketing_Archetypes_L_L.pdf