.png)
.webp)
Walter S. Mack Jr. led Pepsi-Cola from 1938 to 1951, transforming it from a bankrupt regional brand into Coca-Cola's first serious competitor.
He doubled Pepsi's bottle size, kept prices low and launched targeted marketing campaigns.
His vision grew Pepsi's annual sales from 100,000 to 5 million cases.
Walter Mack was born in Manhattan on October 19, 1895.
He attended DeWitt Clinton High School from 1909 to 1913, then enrolled at Harvard College to study business.
When America joined World War I in 1917, Mack left Harvard to serve in the Navy.
As an ensign, he commanded destroyers and transport ships in the North Atlantic.
After the war ended in November 1918, he returned to complete his Harvard degree with the class of 1917.
In 1938, Mack became president of Pepsi, then a small soda company dwarfed by Coca-Cola.
Mack targeted Coca-Cola directly.
While others saw this as futile, Mack recognized that Coca-Cola's market saturation created an opportunity.
He positioned Pepsi to challenge Coke's dominance—a strategy that risked Pepsi's survival but offered the chance to be something big.
In 1939, Pepsi President Walter Mack launched the "Pepsi-Cola Hits the Spot" jingle.
He distilled Pepsi's message into a memorable tune.
The jingle emphasized Pepsi's key selling point: 12 ounces of cola for five cents.
The song's simple lyrics and catchy melody cut through the noise of Depression-era radio.
Consumers remembered Pepsi's value proposition through repetition of the musical message.
In 1945, Mack launched a national scholarship fund for Black students during segregation, directly supporting education in communities Coca-Cola had ignored.
Mack allocated marketing dollars to build community centers, sponsor arts programs, and create spaces for youth and veterans.
These investments built lasting relationships with customers through direct community support.
In the early 1950s, Walter Mack drove the company to pioneer aluminum cans for soft drinks.
Despite his Board's skepticism and early technical problems with metallic taste, Mack invested heavily in canning equipment.
This made Pepsi the first national soda brand to offer cans alongside traditional glass bottles.
This move later proved essential for supermarket shelves and vending machines.
After leaving Pepsi's presidency in the mid-1950s, Walter S. Mack Jr. pursued diverse business ventures across multiple industries.
At age 80, he launched King-Cola Corporation in 1978, aiming to compete with major soda brands through superior product quality and efficient operations.
The venture failed within three years, declaring bankruptcy in 1981.
Despite this setback, Mack remained active in business through advisory roles during the 1980s.
After leading Pepsi for a decade, Walter S. Mack Jr. rejected typical executive retirement at 60.
Instead, he channeled his business acumen into advocating for older workers well into his 90s.
As President Emeritus, Mack testified before Congress about workplace age discrimination, drawing from direct experience.
He invested in companies developing senior employment programs and healthcare services, converting his convictions into concrete action.
At 90, Mack maintained his characteristic drive.
He pursued woodworking, gardening, and writing—activities that kept his mind sharp rather than generating income.
He worked until just before his death at 95, stopped only by lung disease and heart failure.
Mack died on March 18th, 1990.
.png){kind=logo}
.webp)
.webp)
.webp)