chapter 174 part 1
Chapter 173: The Pursuit of Color
2023-05-02 Author: Yue Shang Xintou
"...Pepsi-Cola, not too much, not too little. A full twelve ounces to drink your fill. Just five cents for twice the amount. Pepsi-Cola—the drink for you."
Inside the Messenger Newspaper office, as the radio drama concluded, CBS began broadcasting the subsequent commercials.
For certain industries, the Great Depression was as much an opportunity as it was a crisis.
Pepsi-Cola was born a full twelve years after Coca-Cola, which led to it being consistently crushed in the beverage market for a long time.
At the same time, over a hundred beverage companies were competing in the cola market during this period.
The 18th Amendment (Prohibition Act) restricted the manufacture of alcoholic beverages, which in turn provided an even larger market for other drinks. Particularly influenced by the Great Depression, the struggling populace had a greater need for emotional comfort, and cola and coffee experienced a boom during this time.
Of course, even within the cola market, a severe wealth gap existed.
A giant like Coca-Cola had always occupied the leading position.
Others, such as Afei Cola, Amei Cola, Anla Cola, Bulema Cola, Kabo Cola, and so on, were all beneath Coca-Cola, competing for the market.
Among them, Pepsi-Cola managed to stand out by relying on a low-price strategy.
Just as the radio ad proclaimed, during this period, a 6.5-ounce bottle of Coca-Cola cost 5 cents. But for the same amount of money, you could buy a full 12 ounces of Pepsi-Cola—double the amount.
By capitalizing on the economic downturn of the Great Depression, Pepsi successfully attracted the working masses who wanted to taste the fizz of soda but were short on cash. It successfully used its price advantage to snatch a portion of Coca-Cola's market share among America's working class.
At the same time, it closed the distance between itself and Coca-Cola, solidifying its position as the second-largest cola brand.
Of course, Pepsi wasn't the only brand to rise during the Great Depression.
Another industry that became widely known was condoms. Affected by the economic shock, people needed a way to avoid anxiety and find cheap pleasure without wanting to have children. After all, during this period, many couldn't even support themselves, let alone a child.
Thus, the condom industry flourished.
The times were tough, but there were always ways to make money.
Whether it was the beverage market, the condom market, or Colin's newspaper industry.
Undoubtedly, the Great Depression was a terrible era, but it was also an era that gave birth to a painful vitality.
...
"Well then, I'll leave the rest to you, Old John."
Amidst a cheerful soap commercial, Colin checked the time on his pocket watch, stood up, and spoke to Old John in the Messenger Newspaper office.
"Leave it to me, sir."
At the typesetting machine, Old John nodded as he set the text for the comic.
"Sir, your umbrella."
Reaching the door, Colin put his coat and hat back on and took the umbrella from Little John. He glanced back at the busy workers inside before pushing the door open and stepping out into the downpour.
"Maybe I should buy a car?"
Standing in the heavy rain under his umbrella, Colin couldn't help but ponder.
The Great Depression was undoubtedly a terrible time for the automobile and oil industries.
However, for those who wanted to buy a car, it was an excellent opportunity. One could buy a new car for half the price of before, or even less, and the price of gasoline was also unbelievably cheap.
Oil stock had plummeted to less than $3 a share, and that was just the estimated price on the stock market. The actual market price was even lower, with some clearly falling stocks selling for as low as $0.40.
Of course, if he wasn't willing to accept even that price, Colin could always buy a used automobile.
During the Great Depression, the first thing many bankrupt middle-class families mortgaged was their car.
If he wanted to, he could even spend a hundred dollars to buy a luxury car that was seventy or eighty percent new.
*Honk Honk—*
Just as Colin was thinking about buying a car, the sound of a car horn from behind interrupted his thoughts.
Turning his head and seeing a familiar figure inside the car, Colin immediately went over and got in.
"Long time no see, Colin."
The Fleetwood 75 series, a luxury automobile of which Cadillac only produced 48 units.
And right now, Colin had just stepped into one of them.
Inside the luxury car, Hughes held a cigar and greeted Colin as he got in.
"Long time no see."
Closing his umbrella and leaning it against his side, Colin looked at Howard Hughes, whose skin was noticeably darker than it had been a month ago, and nodded. "It seems your cruise was quite fruitful."
"Indeed."
Hughes nodded and took a puff of his cigar, his tone laced with a hint of excitement.
"The sea is truly a wonderful place. I can now understand why Herman Melville so highly praised the connection between man and the sea in *Moby Dick*. I've been to the sky and walked the earth, but I've rarely turned my gaze upon the sea..."
From Hughes's description, it was clear that this sea voyage had left a profound impression on him.
"In the past, I always thought the sea was a rather monotonous thing. But it wasn't until this voyage that I discovered the sea is far vaster than I ever imagined. We passed countless islands, saw the world's largest animals, and endured dangerous storms. Especially in Greenland, those massive, magnificent icebergs, that spectacular scene crafted by the immense power of nature, it gives one an illusion of insignificance."
When speaking of Greenland, Hughes's expression clearly became distant.
He seemed to be reliving the awe he felt when he first saw the icebergs.
"So, you've already filmed the iceberg scenes?"
After watching Hughes stare blankly for a moment, Colin spoke up, guiding the conversation back to the film *Titanic*.
After all, the main purpose of Hughes's trip to Greenland was for the film shoot.
"Speaking of which."