Our team conducted comprehensive competitive monitoring for Coca-Cola's "A Recipe for Magic" meals platform, analyzing Pepsi's strategic shifts and identifying broader F&B category opportunities around meal moments and rituals

METHODOLOGY

We monitored Pepsi's strategic evolution across 15+ global markets through social media tracking, campaign analysis, and performance data. We also analyzed innovative meal-focused campaigns from 20+ food and beverage brands including Stella Artois, Heinz, McDonald's, Burger King, KFC, and emerging players

KEY FINDINGS AND STRATEGIC RECOMMENDATIONS

Pepsi Competitive Landscape

• US Strategy Shift — More aggressive positioning from "Better with" to "Deserves"

• Global Inconsistency — Uneven execution across markets

• Social Strategy — Increased Gen Z targeting through trending content

Category Innovation Themes

• Reframing Product Prestige — Challenging perceptions to expand usage

• Nourishing the Moment — Leveraging social power of shared meals

• Capturing Feelings — Emotional connections over product features

• Showing Up Unexpectedly — Surprising consumers with unlikely pairings

White Space Recommendation

• Move beyond traditional meal moment definitions to emphasize emotional experiences

OUTCOME

Delivered monthly competitive intelligence to Coca-Cola's meals team, providing strategic context for "A Recipe for Magic" platform decisions and identify opportunities to differentiate

TEAMMATES

Ellie Hooey (Strategist), Jordan Weil (Group Strategy Director)

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