Coke Embraces Mother Russia; Pepsi to Be Re-Educated
Coca-Cola is about to become even redder. According to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "Coca-Cola...is counting on the Russian economy to play a significant role in fueling growth."
Prior to the collapse of Communism, Pepsi, or "Pepski", was the dominant U.S. cola in the old Soviet Union. They now hold only 20% of the vodka mixer soft drink market, while Cokeski holds 36%.
Both cola makers are pumping serious money into marketing and distribution in Russia. Coke is trying to get in good with the new "president" of Russia, Dmitry Medvedevevdedvev, while Pepsi is trying to buy into Russia's lucrative vodka mixer juice market.
Pepsi was a favorite of Nikita Khrushchev, who also enjoyed long walks on the beach, puppies, and shoe percussion. Vladimir Putin, on the other hand, drinks the souls of whoever looks upon him. And famous 80's Russian boxer and soft drink spokescharacter, Soda Popinski, once said, "I drink to prepare for a fight. Tonight I am very prepared." He didn't specify which soft drink he preferred.
--Comrade Spanno
Smitch on March 06, 2008 at 09:16 PM
Hey, nice job mixing Eastern European politics and classic NES references. Do they call skiing skiski?
Steve on March 07, 2008 at 06:30 AM
Will they be using sugar (beet or cane) in the formula? If so, please send some to Michigan!
Valjean on March 07, 2008 at 11:11 AM
" ...counting on the Russian economy to play a significant role in fueling growth."
Two words: short Coke.
Ask Yukos (or countless others) about "counting on the Russian economy." Vodka-mixing notwithstanding, this is a culture that sees businesses as wards of the state -- and has for about, oh, 700-800 years. If Coke thinks this has changed in the last decade or so -- indeed, is *relying* on it -- they're ignorant at best and downright stupid at worst. Any success they have will be slurped up by Putin and his chums.
matt holzmann on March 10, 2008 at 02:26 PM
so Coke Zero is now Coke Nyetski?
nodak boy on March 10, 2008 at 02:53 PM
At a Soviet-U.S. council meeting - remember that group? included Bill Bradley - in the mid-1980s in St. Paul, Minn., I heard Don Kendall, longtime CEO of Pepsi describe how his company had gotten the franchise, and how easily and quickly, by fiat, Pepsi vending machines were put in at every train station across Siberia, and everywhere else, etc. And his wolfish grin and words, (this si pretty close to verbatim,) had a chilling sound: "There are some things about communism I really like."
rosignol on March 10, 2008 at 03:15 PM
Vladimir Putin, on the other hand, drinks the souls of whoever looks upon him.
Yes, but what does he use as a mixer- coke or pepsi?
(actually, Vladimir strikes me as the kinda guy to take it neat, so nevermind...)
beb on March 10, 2008 at 03:34 PM
very minor point. I lived in that part of the world for a couple of years and believe me, vodka and mixer are rarely used in the same sentence. The overwhelmingly preferred method is shots.
Macs on April 17, 2008 at 08:55 AM
"Pepski" is plagiarism from an article published recently in The Business Week. We've never used this term here. I am absolutely unfamiliar with it.
Neither we had vending machines in trains. Stop living in the world of your imagination of Russia and disseminating your views which have nothing common with the country.