Coke Vs. Pepsi: The Pioneers

The nagging question 'Which is better, Coca-Cola or Pepsi-Cola?' sprang from an earlier, more basic question: 'Can anyone tell the difference?' Professor Nicholas H. Pronko and colleagues at the University of Wichita, Kansas, conducted a series of experiments in the 1940s and 1950s. Pronko's final Coke/Pepsi paper appeared in 1958. In the ensuing half- century, other investigators have digested and challenged his methods and findings.

Advances in technology led to investigation of the brain activity of Coke and Pepsi drinkers. Here is a look back at the early work, the foundation upon which rests so much later planning, effort, and thoughtfully sipped cola.