Dr. Pepper becomes the U.S.'s #2 drink

I thought the fact that I drink Dr. Pepper made me ✧˖° different ˖°✧ and ✧˖° interesting ˖°✧

Turns out, I am never beating the basic b*tch allegations. Because Dr. Pepper just surpassed Pepsi as the 2nd most popular carbonated drink in America.

I’ve written about the preference wars between Pepsi and Coke, who have been competing as #1 and #2 for literal decades. But honestly, I cannot say I saw this coming.

For the most part, people call me a freak for liking Dr Pepper. The groans of disgust I get from friends and family whenever I buy a can are almost comical. And I’m not even exaggerating.

But alas, this is New Zealand. And maybe my taste for the distinctive, je ne sais quoi flavour of Dr. P is just too developed for this tiny island.

The Dr. Pepper brand is 139 years old, which begs the question--why now?

As far as carbonated drinks go, Dr. Pepper has ranked FAR below #2 for decades. In 2000, it was #6 in market share of U.S. soda brands, falling behind the nuclear waste of a drink also known as Mountain Dew.

However, the brand has used a mix of effective marketing campaigns, brand positioning, and a distribution strategy that aligns with both red and blue camps (no, not those ones). In doing so, Dr. P has quietly climbed the ranks to take its rightful place at the top.

Andrew Springate, Keurig Dr. Pepper’s chief marketing officer, told The WSJ that the brand has kept up a consistent marketing theme. Their messaging always focuses on the drink's unique taste.

Rather than sticking to the traditional cola flavour, Dr. Pepper has a blend of 23 different flavours.

This seems to be very appealing to Gen Z, with whom the drink is growing fastest in popularity.

As I mentioned, the $97B U.S. soda market is organised mostly into red and blue, Coke and Pepsi. Each brand has their own distribution network that competes for restaurant chains like McDonald's and Wendy’s.

But Dr. Pepper, the cheeky devil, has alliances with BOTH camps. So whenever you encounter a soda fountain with either Coke or Pepsi, Dr. P will almost always be there too. Genius.

Pickles and Dr. Pepper, anyone?

To some, that combination sounds like nightmare fuel, or at the very least heartburn fuel. But if you’ve ever encountered the food side of TikTok, you’ll know Gen Z loves to experiment with flavours.

So, it’s no surprise that they love filling their Stanley Quencher Cups with ice and Dr. Pepper, combined with other wild ingredients. Things like pickles, hot peppers, and even lime juice and coffee creamer (not sure about this one).

So the brand riffed on this idea and made a Dr. Pepper Creamy Coconut version. Well done, Dr. P, for giving the people what they want.

We love a good underdog story.

Dr Pepper has been considered countercultural for so long. But now, Gen Z has adopted the drink, helping it climb the ranks. So to see it take the #2 spot from Pepsi, which has held the title for almost 30 years, is so cool.

So, what can we learn from Dr. Pepper's climb to the (near) top?

• Emphasise your unique qualities. Focus on what makes your product or brand stand out from the rest.

• Use targeted and consistent marketing. Identifying your target demographic to maintain a consistent message that aligns with their values is crucial in building a loyal customer base.

• Don’t limit yourself with alliances. Ensure your brand presence is not hindered by partnerships. Seek out and leverage those that can enhance your visibility and availability.

Maybe there’s something deeper we can all take from this. Maybe, it’s all about sticking to your guns and not changing who you are for mass appeal. Because someone, somewhere, will love you for your unique qualities.

In a world full of colas, be a Dr. Pepper.

-Sophie, Copywriter