Coke Zero - dubbed 'bloke Coke' - had a 6.2% value share of the cola market for the week ending 15 July, compared with Pepsi Max's 5% share. Both sugar-free soft drinks are aimed at men and share a masculine brand positioning.
According to Coca-Cola, the brand, which it says 'completes the Coke trilogy', is set to become as big as Diet Coke within 10 years.
In response to the introduction of Coke Zero, Britvic launched its biggest ever sampling drive for Pepsi Max and a 'No substitute for Pepsi Max' press ad campaign.
However, one retail source claimed that the work 'lacks creativity', adding that the company should be doing more to protect the 13-year-old brand's share in the face of Coca-Cola's investment.
Cathryn Sleight, marketing director of Coca-Cola, said the launch would benefit the whole carbonated soft-drinks sector. She pointed to the effectiveness of the extensive sampling drives, which have encouraged more consumers than ever to try sugar-free colas.
Rivals say the uplift is due to heavy discounting and the short-term novelty factor of the new drink. Value share figures for the two colas in the four weeks to 15 July shows Pepsi Max with a 5.7% share and Coke Zero with 4.3%.
They say the real test will be if Coke Zero can maintain its share after initial consumer curiosity has died down.
Coca-Cola recently withdrew an execution for Coke Zero featuring the strapline 'Blind dates without the psychos' following complaints from mental health charities (Marketing, 25 July).
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