he long-standing conundrum of why Coke sells more than Pepsi despite being less popular in blind taste tests may have been solved. Scientists in Texas used a brain scanning technique to carry out a hi-tech version of the Pepsi Challenge and found that, when it comes to fizzy black drinks, brand love is just as important as taste. The results, which Professor Read Montague plans to publish soon in a scientific journal, show that different parts of the brain "light up", depending on the type of cola being drunk.

His team found that a brain region called the ventral putamen - associated with seeking reward - was highly active when people blindly drank their favourite cola. However, things changed when volunteers were told what they were drinking. This time, Coke was the undisputed king and a different part of the brain was seen to be more active by the fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging) scans. ... more