Most Iconic Sales Wars of All Time

Brand wars are a fascinating aspect of the business world that also captures the public’s attention while shaping their choices.

These rivalries though sometimes go beyond mere competition. Several of them have even lasted decades, leaving their mark in the history books (or at least any sales playbook).

Here’s a closer look at some of the most iconic sales wars of all time.

Coke vs Pepsi

The granddaddy of ‘em all, Coke vs Pepsi is undoubtedly the most iconic brand showdown. 

This rivalry is well over 100 years old with both sodas hitting the market in the late 1800s.

Coca-Cola is famous for promoting nostalgia and emotions, as seen by their frequent use of Santa Claus, a cute family of polar bears, and the “Share a Coke” campaign with common first names printed on the label.

Coke was so integral to American life that when the United States entered World War II, Coca-Cola’s President promised that every man in uniform could get a bottle of Coke for 5 cents. It was considered so crucial to the war effort that it was exempted from sugar rationing (Pepsi, on the other hand, was not).

In the post-war era, Pepsi got inventive with its marketing. It turned to celebrity endorsements like Michael Jackson, patriotic themes capitalizing on their red, white, and blue colors, and the youth demographic. (Interestingly, Coca-Cola had the opportunity to buy out Pepsi twice, but declined each time.)

But Pepsi’s true crowning achievement was the Pepsi Challenge – a blind taste test that saw people overwhelmingly prefer Pepsi over Coke. Not only was it effective, but it even caused Coca-Cola to commit an unforced error by launching “New Coke”.

New Coke was such a debacle that it even became a cautionary tale against changing an established and successful brand.

Since then, both sodas have regularly engaged in ads that sniped at one another, from Super Bowl advertising to this costume contest.

Sprite vs 7 Up

Coca-Cola vs Pepsi may take the cake for the most iconic and legendary brand war among soda titans (if not the world), but Sprite vs 7 Up is no slouch.

This war started to heat up in the 1980s with 7 Up’s “Uncola” campaign” and their “Spot” mascot, which came with its own campaigns, merch, and even a video game to connect with the kids and teens markets.

Little did 7 Up know, but Sprite had the same strategy in mind.

Also in the 80s, Sprite teamed up with the rapper Kurtis Blow to run one of the first national ads to feature a rapper. By the 1990s, most of Sprite’s marketing was connected to the burgeoning hip-hop scene.

Sprite ultimately won this brand war after the successful “Obey Your Thirst” campaign, which featured collaborations with lots of popular artists. 7 Up’s “Make 7 Up Yours” ad series with Orlando Jones did give it a boost, but Sprite’s dominated this race since the 90s.

Wendy’s vs Burger King

McDonald’s, Wendy’s, and Burger King are some of the biggest fast-food chains in the United States.

And because they have very similar menu items, all three have historically been very competitive with one another (although McDonald’s is the clear frontrunner with Wendy’s and Burger King vying for second).

Naturally, this has led to some interesting and amusing moments in their brand war.

At one point, BK and Wendy’s were running similar $4 specials with the difference being that BK offered 5 items while Wendy’s offered 4.

That’s when BK overplayed their hand by posting a tweet saying “5 for $4, because 5 is better than 4.”

A Twitter user then asked Wendy’s, “What are you firing back?”

In an almost immediate response, Wendy’s unleashed what may be one of the biggest ad burns in history – “Edible food”.

Apple vs Microsoft

Long-standing rivals in the tech industry, this brand war circles around the PC vs Mac debate.

Apple’s “Get a Mac” campaign in the late 2000s led to a series of playful back-and-forths with actors playing the roles of Mac and PC.

PC was frequently shown as bumbling, clumsy, and out of touch with modern needs while Apple was the cool, down-to-earth guy. Who wouldn’t want a Mac after seeing some of those ads?

Microsoft eventually hit back with ads that emphasized the diversity of PC users (while underscoring the $$$ of Macs 😅).

Fast forward a few years and Microsoft would fire a broadside at Siri with Cortana – their own digital assistant.

PlayStation vs Xbox

Microsoft technically makes its second appearance on this list with its Xbox gaming console.

Waged since 2001 when the first Xbox was released and pitted against the PlayStation 2 in the console wars, neither side has been crowned victor. 

Technical issues at different points for both consoles have prevented either from delivering a final blow.

PlayStation’s exclusive lineup with titles like “God of War” and “The Last of Us” has helped PlayStation foster a dedicated fanbase, though Xbox stays competitive with the “Halo” franchise and its humongous Game Pass library.

Who knows? In this ever-raging brand war, Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision may be the knockout blow Microsoft wants.

Domino’s vs Subway

Domino’s vs Subway may not have the longevity of some famous feuds, but the intensity felt when it raged in the late 2000s puts it on our list.

Shocking as it may be, there was a slowdown in American pizza consumption, prompting Domino’s to branch out into toasted sandwiches which just happened to be the domain of Subway.

Similar to the Pepsi Challenge, Domino’s launched a national taste test where Domino’s sandwiches outperformed Subway 2 to 1.

On the defensive, Subway sent a legal notice to Domino’s demanding they remove the ads from TV.

In response, Domino’s launched a special ‘behind-the-scenes’ ad that looked at how the taste test was run, finishing off with Domino’s placing the legal notice in the oven (because oven-baked is always better, isn’t it?).