It’s been 50 years since some savvy marketers launched the Pepsi Challenge, a series of blind taste tests conducted all over the U.S. in public places giving everyday soda drinkers samples of Pepsi and Coke while cameras were rolling. The ensuing results provided Pepsi with a healthy montage of people choosing Pepsi as the better-tasting choice for future TV ads that would become part of the lexicon over the decades that followed.
Soda drinkers in Bentonville have three opportunities to officially take the Pepsi Challenge this week as the 50 year anniversary Taste Tour ’25 rolls into Northwest Arkansas. But this isn’t the same sugary Pepsi Challenge that launched in 1975; this is a zero calorie, artificially sweetened soda taste test pitting Pepsi Zero Sugar versus Coke Zero Sugar. According to a press release, “100% of markets have preferred the taste of Pepsi Zero Sugar” so far.
Soda drinkers in Northwest Arkansas have three opportunities this week to let their palates speak. The Pepsi Challenge will visit the Bentonville Square at 103 S. Main St. June-5-7. The taste test will be available Thursday from 4-9 p.m. for Movie Nights on the Square. On Friday, the Pepsi Challenge will be available at the First Friday Festival of Nations from 11 a.m.-9 p.m. And people shopping at the Bentonville Farmers Market Sunday morning will have the opportunity to sample the zero calorie delights from 7:30 a.m.-1 p.m.
The Arkansas Times is not sending the Eat Arkansas team to NWA to participate in the Pepsi Challenge, so please let us know how this goes. Though in our office, Diet Dr Pepper is the most popular choice. Arkansas Times Publisher Alan Leveritt is known to have at least one DDP with his office lunch, though he did not mention this in his food diary last year.
According to the release, Pepsi will reward all participants with free Pepsi Zero Sugar “because even those with questionable taste deserve a second chance.”
Rhett Brinkley is the food editor at the Arkansas Times. Send restaurant tips and food selfies to rhettbrinkley@arktimes.com
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