2. What are the marketing advantages and disadvantages of associating a soft drink brand such as Coca-Cola or PepsiCo with musical groups that are just beginning their careers? Do you agree with this strategy? Explain. Knowing that teenagers in many nations have similar attitudes and tastes, the world’s two largest soft drink companies see this group of consumers as an extremely important target market with long-term profit potential. Both Coca-Cola and PepsiCo know that not only do their soft drinks have to taste good, their marketing has to be relevant to capture teens’ attention and keep them engaged with the brands as well.

Both are using music as part of their strategy for reaching out to teens through their shared interest in new music and bands. Although Coca-Cola and PepsiCo have long been identified with music—Coca-Cola on TV with American Idol, PepsiCo with commercials starring legendary performers like Michael Jackson—these new teen campaigns focus on cutting-edge music and involve more interactivity than ever before.