Why Coke is better than Pepsi (The same reason that the Ramones are better than modern day punk)

To many the following will seem completely trivial and pointless, but this is the kind of shit that fills my brain. These are the kinds of thoughts that are a product of a media soaked lifestyle. Some people probably couldn't care less about the difference between Coke and Pepsi. I on the other hand have always cared about these minor details. Complacency has never been an option. I'm sure that there are also people out there who couldn't care less about the difference between The Beatles and the Rolling Stones or 50 cent and Run DMC but to people who care to look into it the differences are huge. I should add that when I go into a restaurant and order a Coke and they say is Pepsi alright I will never never say yes. I will invariably order something else.

Coca Cola and the Ramones burst onto the scene in much the same vain, they were fresh, original, exciting,and filled with cocaine. In time both cleaned up their ways but still maintained their hard and energy fueled edge. They were originators
in their respective fields and by all accounts perfected the recipe in which they set to create.

over the next few years both Coca Cola and the Ramones secured their position around the world as more than just an American brand/band but as true Icons of American culture. During their career the Ramones were much more popular outside of North
America than they were in their homeland. Coca Cola became the most recognizable and known brand on planet earth. Why was this? People from all different countries and cultures flocked to them to experience just a little bit of the American way. If for only in a small way it connected them with American culture. But why else? Well they offered a good product.

As with all good things they are imitated (but never duplicated). For Coke there was Pepsi and for the Ramones there is today's modern day mainstream punk rock* .What do these followers have in common? They are both sugary sweet renditions of the originals (also losing the edge), they have obviously tried to lift the iconography of the originals, and they cater themselves directly to the youth (or feeling youthful) market.

Too sugary sweet:
The bottom line is Pepsi is nothing more than a third rate Coke clone (2nd rate would be RC cola) it tastes horrible, its as if they said lets make something like coke but with 3 times the sugar. To me it honestly tastes no better than the generic brand of cola any and every supermarket produces. As for losing its edge Pepsi has never even had and edge. There is something compelling about drinking a soft drink that was once laced with an illicit substance. Even though it has long since been removed we still know that Coke was once "slumming it" for real. In a three legged cauldron no less.

Modern day punk rock is the same way. It is a candy coated, sugar filled version of what punk rock is supposed to be. Sure the Ramones played punk music that was poppy but they certainly didn't play pop music that was punky. There IS a difference. The difference is in terms of motivation . Modern punk has no edge. The Ramones weren't just writing songs about Forest Hills Queens, Sniffing Glue and shooting heroin. They were living it. Suburban kids certainly don't know what it's like living in the city or what it's like carrying a $50 mosrite in a shopping bag on the subway to rehearsal. You simply don't have the same motivations if you drive to band practice in your parents SUV with your brand new Les Paul in the back.

Attempted Iconography:
It is fairly easy to see that Pepsi recognized and tried to bolster Cokes status as an American Icon. You really need to look no further than the fact that Pepsi chose Red White and Blue as their packaging choice. The problem is they missed the point you cant just slap the colors of the flag on your product and expect to be viewed as something.

Modern day punk in the same way slaps on all the punk rock packaging yet they forgot one important detail. The clothes don't make the music and beneath it all there needs to be some substance. Modern punk really represents nothing. The Ramones stood for something (even if they weren't overtly political). If nothing else they were honest and real and even without a political agenda that IS something. They weren't listening to punk records. They were defining the genre.

Focus on youth culture:
Pepsi's Marketing tactic has always been clear. Sell to the youth. Just look at their slogans throughout history (The choice of a new generation, Be Young, Have fun, Drink Pepsi, Generation Next etc) It is easy to sell your product if you focus entirely on youth because for the most part your market is naive and doesn't have a refined palette (which is good if your product tastes like shit). Pepsi has always tried to sell an idea rather than a product. If you are selling to the youth it is an easy market to manipulate. Young children don't understand the concept of advertising and think that commercials are public service announcements and tweens-teens are heavily influenced by peer pressure. And once they have these ideas firmly planted in peoples minds years down the road they can re-sell them on the product claiming it will make them feel young again. Clever marketing yes. Evidence of a good product NO.

Modern Day Punk. I hardly find it necessary to go into the details of how this genre is marketed to the youth because it is so clearly evident. It is marketed the exact same way that Pepsi is. The difference with the Ramones is that yes they appealed to the youth but they also appealed to music fans as well. This is very important and shows the mark of a good band. (you may be saying hey why cant the youth be music fans? I am referring to people who are fans of any and all genres of music and not just "fad fans". To be a music fan you have to be open minded to the whole spectrum of music. If you are the type of person who says "I only listen to punk rock" Then you most likely aren't a fan of music. You are just probably trying to fit into one specific sub-culture. This has nothing to do with being a true fan of music. (I say "probably" and "most likely" only because there is a minimal chance that someone out there has been truly open minded to every genre of music known to man but by some freak occurrence they only like one specific type))

In closing I should say that these sugar coated imitators aren't all bad we can at least give them credit for reminding us just how good the originals really are by comparison.

*yes there are punk bands of today that are making real, honest and exciting music but I am focusing on the one's who have floated to the top, the one's on the radio and in the magazines Mostly the bands who have co-opted the punk rock image and or ideals such as Good Charlotte, New found Glory, Sum 41 and Avril Lavine etc.

tags: music, punk rock,ideas,