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“I’m a pepper, he’s a pepper, she’s a pepper, we’re a pepper! Wouldn’t you like to be a pepper too?”

Are you humming this song now? Probably; I know I am and I wasn’t even around when it first aired. In the 1970’s when this song first hit the television ad circuit, this popular ditty that once graced Dr. Pepper’s television ads (it’s still around today, but with a much different vibe) perfectly captured the essence of this brand.

What exactly is their essence? They’re the soft drink for truly unique people who are tired of dealing with the ‘cola wars’ and just want something new that will quench their thirst. Okay, there’s a bit more to it than that, but that’s the summarized version. For their complete history you can visit their site which has everything you could ever want to know about Dr. Pepper in one place.

I’ve always been a fan of Dr. Pepper, mainly because I enjoy trying to figure out what the 23 flavors are (cocoa has to be one, right? Or is that just me that tastes it?) but also because of their advertisements the past few months. They’re vastly different from Coca-Cola’s and Pepsi’s because they aren’t focused on polar bears or music and pop culture, but instead show large groups of individuals. Dr. Pepper puts a huge emphasis on that last word, ‘individuals’ because that’s what we are. We’re all unique and different.

Here are two TV ads from the past couple years that I think deserve a lot more attention than what they got:

Not every ad grabs your attention with just a few opening notes of music, but this ad certainly did. The song (“ I’ve Gotta Be Me” by Ryan Tedder) has an upbeat tempo that makes you stop and look up at your screen. What holds your attention throughout the ad though is trying to reading everyone’s shirts. I’ve seen this spot several times and it’s amazing how many new things you notice with each and every viewing.

Next up is their latest ad from this year:

This is their montage ad of all the /1 ads they’re showing. To see them all, you can go here. What I like best about these ads is that they’re hitting the “unique” and “individual” aspect of their brand’s identity perfectly. They feature some crazy characters, but for the most part any one of these people you could have in your Facebook news feed talking about their day.

Their other /1 ads are perfect for the Dr. Pepper brand as well because they feature real people. These aren’t the celebrities that we put high up on a pedestal and idolize; these are true individuals who are just like us and are doing whatever it takes to make their dreams come true.

On to another aspect of marketing that they’re nailing. They’ve done a few hashtags on Twitter, and unlike so many other hashtag promotions that we’ve heard about — like McDonald’s hashtag promotion disaster or the one Newsweek experienced — Dr. Pepper hasn’t sparked hardly any controversy (the same can’t be said for their marketing approach for their Dr. Pepper Ten which offended a whole lot of people for being “not for women.” That’s another post for another day, though) and instead inspire viewers to participate on the social network.

Whether you’re a die-hard Coke enthusiast or a Pepsi lover, I think we can all agree that there’s no comparing it to Dr. Pepper. Their drink and their advertising isn’t even in the same arena as these two other popular soft drinks.

What do you think of Dr. Pepper’s ads? Do you agree that they encompass the individual spirit that has made Dr. Pepper a major contender? Do they make you want to drink a Dr. Pepper or reach for your beloved cola instead? What do you think their 23 special flavors are? Shout off below in the comment section!

Image Credit to: cyclonebill and andreasivarsson