Moroz vs Santa

Santa and Ded Moroz are fighting marketing wars in Russia. The most important war is between toy producers. One sees only few Ded Moroz toys in stores as they are produced in Russia and are more expensive. On the other hand Santas toys come from China and sometimes are 2-3 times cheaper. Although they look almost alike the difference is quite visible. Santa’s coat is too short, his hat is silly, he doesn’t have a magic staff and wears glasses. Enough to make Russian patriots mad!

Pepsi and Coca Cola also joined this war over hearts and minds of Russian kids. Pepsi is fighting on the Russian side. Coke – on the side of Western globalists.

Moscow Times staff writer Anastasiya Lebedev covers this story in depth:

Coke's festive season mascot is red, Pepsi's is blue -- and whether it's Santa Claus or Grandfather Frost is up to you.

Both companies call the jolly old man on their respective holiday web sites "Ded Moroz," or Grandfather Frost -- Russia's equivalent of Santa, associated with New Year's rather than Christmas. But Coca-Cola's wears a red hat and coat and is based on the 75-year-old Santa image used to advertise the brand all over the world, while Pepsi's Moroz is garbed in a long blue robe, according to Russian custom, in order to cater to the local consumer.

"It's the traditional Russian color [for Ded Moroz]," said Konstantin Kuzmin, vice president of marketing for Pepsi Bottling Group Russia. He said that the fact Ded Moroz wears blue was a "good coincidence" with the Pepsi brand's color.

The fact that Pepsi's image in Russia is more Russified than Coke's fits with the two brands' histories in this country.

Large-scale production of Pepsi began in the Soviet Union in 1974, while Coca-Cola is a relative newcomer, having opened its first domestic plant in 1992. Coca-Cola soon catapulted to the top of the market and has maintained its position. A study of the soft-drink market by research agency Business-Analytica for March to July 2005 said the two colas led the chart, with Coca-Cola enjoying a market share of 19.4 percent, followed by Pepsi with 13 percent.

I stay with Pepsi.

Technorati Tags: Russia, Santa, Ded Moroz, Pepsi, Coca Cola