Pepsi’s Weird Original Name | Smartest Year Ever (Feb 2, 2025)
About this episode
Before Pepsi was Pepsi… it was Brad’s Drink. Yes, that’s what North Carolina pharmacist Caleb Bradham originally called his soda fountain creation in 1893. A mix of sugar, lemon oil, nutmeg, and other ingredients, it was meant to aid digestion and boost energy. But in 1898, a name change to Pepsi-Cola gave it a modern edge—though ironically, it never contained pepsin.
From near-bankruptcy in the 1920s to a marketing genius move during the Great Depression, this is the surprising story of how one of the biggest soda brands in the world almost had a very different name.
📌 Sources:
PepsiCo - Our History
Smithsonian Magazine - The Origins of Pepsi-Cola
Encyclopedia of North Carolina - Caleb Bradham and Brad’s Drink
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