Pepsi's Refreshed Zero Sugar Recipe Claims Its Boldest Taste Yet

The rivalry between Coca-Cola and Pepsi has been going on for a very long time, and over the years, both companies have launched new or reformulated products in an effort to increase market share as part of what Business Insider has referred to as the "Cola Wars." Although the original versions of the two colas date back to the late 19th century, according to Yahoo Finance, the modern competition between the two beverage behemoths (The Coca-Cola Company and PepsiCo) began in earnest with the introduction of the "Pepsi Challenge" blind taste test in 1975. That marketing campaign set off a chain of "new and improved" product responses that has been going on ever since.

The latest in the long-running series of battles between Coca-Cola and Pepsi is now taking place in the zero sugar space. CNN Business recently noted that based on sales data, Coca-Cola has been out-pacing Pepsi in this market category, with Coke Zero accounting for close to 4% of total cola sales, while Pepsi Zero Sugar remains below 1%. 

Pepsi, however, is striking back. The company has just announced a brand new recipe for Pepsi Zero Sugar, via press release, and plans to promote the product's "bolder taste profile" during the upcoming Super Bowl.

PepsiCo has announced what it refers to as a "new and improved" version of Pepsi Zero Sugar. The new recipe is intended to be both bolder and sweeter than the previous one, and according to Pepsi's press release, it has proven to be just that in consumer product testing. The company reports that it outshone its predecessor in every category, with consumer testers noting its likability, zesty real cola taste, and complementary qualities when paired with food items.

To promote its new style Pepsi Zero Sugar, the company is launching a series of television commercials in English and Spanish that will run during the NFL Playoffs. The marketing campaign for the refreshed and refreshing product will culminate on Super Bowl Sunday, when PepsiCo unveils a Super Bowl ad for Pepsi Zero Sugar — its first for any product during the iconic sporting event in three years.

Per its recent press release, the company feels so good about its new reformulated Pepsi Zero Sugar that it's willing to give away up to 10 million of them. Those who text FREE PEPSI to 81234 during the NFL Playoffs and FREE ZERO during the Super Bowl on February 12 can try out the new Pepsi Zero Sugar for free and judge for themselves whether the new formulation is an improvement over the old one.