News From Yemen

Friday, March 18, 2011

The Soda vs. Pop Debate: Yemen Weighs in

If you've been to college or have relatives living in different parts of the country, you have no doubt participated in the "Great Soda vs. Pop Debate." This map, which I first saw a couple months ago, is an amazing visual representation of the regions in which "soda" and "pop" dominate.


(click here for an interactive version with breakdowns of state poll results by county)

You may be wondering what any of this has to do with Yemen.

Notice the marketing genius that is the American South East. In the vast majority of states, Coke is simply used as the generic word for all versions of soda-pop. Pepsi has lost a major battle here, and there is no corresponding region in which Pepsi is used the way Coke is in the South.

Except Yemen that is. Pepsi (or bebs as it is shortened to here), like Coke in the South, is used as a generic term for all versions of soda-pop. "Do you have Pepsi?" "Yes we do." "Well I'll have a Ginger Ale then." No joke.

2 comments:

  1. Amusing deflection. This is not what I expected to read about today.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Nice way to make light of what is going on around you.

    Do they drink diet Pepsi?

    ReplyDelete