Pepsi vs. Coke

Even though I'm a Coke guy, I use Pepsi first in the title for one reason - they're the only ones fighting the battle.  Here's my point: ever since I can remember, starting with the Pepsi Challenge (remember those blind taste tests?), I just can't remember a Pepsi commercial that doesn't somehow take a shot at Coke.  Whether it's original Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, or now Pepsi Max, they are copying Coke's ideas and then taking shots at them.  On the other hand, I can't think of a single Coke commercial that takes any shots at Pepsi at all.  They have the polar bears, the vending machine, the old "I'd like to buy the world a Coke" song, and so on.  They always take the classy approach, and only discuss their own product.
All of this brings me to a commercial that came out last year already, but is now making a comeback.  The Pepsi Max one, with the two truck drivers in the restaurant, "Why can't we be friends" playing in the background, the Coke guy trying the Pepsi Max, the Pepsi guy capturing it on his camera and uploading it to you tube, and the ensuing fight that breaks out.  I don't like the whole thing, starting off with the continuing need to bring themselves up by bring Coke down, but especially two main things.

1. The Coke guy seems to be so surprised by the fact that Pepsi Max has zero calories, while he's wearing a Coke Zero hat, and drinking a Coke Zero.  How many calories do they expect us to believe that a Coke "Zero" has?
2. The Pepsi guy is sitting on the right.  When he's taping the Coke guy drinking the Pepsi Max, the Coke guy has the drink in his right hand so that we can see the label.  When the Pepsi guy shows him the video on his phone, he's got the drink in his left hand so that we can still see the label.

I realize that all commercials lie to us, and that all marketers believe that we're idiots, but doesn't there have to be a line somewhere?  How lazy are you, when you're clearly in second place, and instead of trying to improve yourself to get ahead, you just put all of your efforts into slowing down the leader?  Get some class, get the fight out of the gutter, and take your second place with some dignity.

Pause and refresh yourself (1924), things go better with Coke (1963), have a Coke and a smile (1979).