Pepsi, the Cold War, and the Soviet Submarine Deal

Pepsi's Misadventures in the USSR: How Not to Navigate Authoritarian MarketsIn this episode, I explore how a savvy Pepsi executive in the late 1950s leveraged Cold War tensions to open the Soviet market to American consumers. This daring (and doomed) endeavor included groundbreaking deals structured around barter, including the famous yet often misunderstood submarine trade. Kendall's story is a case study ikn the complex and often perilous game between commerce and politics. It reveals some timely lessons on doing business with authoritarian regimes and the inherent risks of market and political reforms.00:00 The Cold War Pepsi Challenge00:42 Kendall's Rise and Nixon's Favor01:02 Breaking into the Soviet Market01:21 The Vodka for Pepsi Trade01:57 The Submarine Deal02:55 The Collapse of the USSR03:56 Lessons from Authoritarian Markets04:49 Modern Parallels and Final Thoughts