Pepsi is one of the most iconic and widely recognized beverage brands in the world. However, many fans of the drink are shocked to learn that it wasn’t always called Pepsi. While the name makes perfect sense today, its original name leaves people stunned.
People across social media have expressed their disbelief after learning about Pepsi’s original identity. One fan wrote, “I was today years old when I learned that.” Another shared, “I had no idea!” and a third admitted, “Reeling from this news.”
The Origins of Pepsi
Pepsi was created by Caleb “Doc” Bradham, a pharmacist from New Bern, North Carolina. Initially, the drink was marketed as a digestive aid—although it was never proven to have any such benefits. At the time, the health connection made sense, as the beverage was directly competing with Coca-Cola, which had positioned itself as a health tonic.
Professor Donna Wertalik, a marketing expert at Virginia Tech, explained to Reader’s Digest that Coca-Cola, launched in 1886, was already being marketed as a remedy for headaches and exhaustion, using coca-leaf extract and kola nuts for medicinal purposes. Pepsi, on the other hand, entered the market in 1898 but with a different approach.
From Brad’s Drink to Pepsi-Cola
When Pepsi was first introduced, it was originally branded as “Brad’s Drink.” Despite its humble beginnings, Bradham was determined to make the drink a success. In 1902, he applied for a trademark and formed the Pepsi-Cola Company. He even bought the name “Pep Kola” from a local competitor, and soon after, Pepsi-Cola was born.
This rebranding move wasn’t just a name change. It was a strategic decision to position the drink within the medicinal beverage market, directly challenging Coca-Cola’s dominance. The name Pepsi-Cola itself was a calculated effort to associate the drink with digestive benefits, foreshadowing the fierce rivalry between the two brands that would later become known as the “Cola Wars.”
People are only just realizing that Pepsi wasn’t always called Pepsi. Credit: Adobe Stock
A Drink for Digestion?
Along with its rebranding, Bradham marketed Pepsi as a refreshing, non-alcoholic beverage with digestive benefits. He used slogans like “Exhilarating, Invigorating, Aids Digestion” to promote Pepsi as both a drink and a health tonic. This dual-purpose branding strategy was common in an era before the federal regulation of food and drug advertising, positioning Pepsi as an alternative to other so-called health tonics.
The connection to digestion came from the word “pepsin,” a digestive enzyme that helps break down proteins. Although pepsin was never an ingredient in Pepsi-Cola, Bradham believed that his drink had similar digestive benefits.
Pepsi Today
Today, Pepsi is far from being considered a health drink. Instead, it has built a loyal following as one of the most popular soda drinks on the market. Despite its initial medicinal claims, the brand has evolved to focus on offering a refreshing alternative to other colas, maintaining its reputation through clever branding and innovation.
Pepsi was originally branded as Brad’s Drink. Credit: Adobe Stock
Wertalik sums up Pepsi’s journey by saying, “Pepsi’s positioning and slogans have consistently offered consumers a fresh alternative in the cola category.”
So, the next time you crack open a can of Pepsi, remember that it wasn’t always the refreshing drink you know today. It started its journey as “Brad’s Drink,” marketed as a digestive aid, before becoming the iconic beverage that competes against its main rival, Coca-Cola.
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