Competition, as they often say, is good for business. It can inspire a company to improve its products or lower their prices or even break into new product

categories.

Competition helps both sides grow. At least that's what the experts say. All I know

is that it can often give us some very entertaining battle of the brands and at the risk of dating myself, I have to tip my hat to my personal favorite

product showdown, the COLA Wars.

The first shots were fired in 1975 when Pepsi started their Pepsi challenge involving blind taste tests that

showed that a lot of people actually preferred their soda over Coca-Cola's classic recipe.

And the results frightened Coke into some pretty bold decisions.

First it was Diet Coke, then caffeine-free Coke.

But nothing beats the mess they made in 1985 when they ditched a classic and introduced new Coke.

How bad did it go over?

In a massive game of chicken with their loyal customers,

it took Coca-Cola less than three months to flinch and bring the old recipe back.

Thankfully the only real thing at stake in the whole situation was money.

But looking back at history there have been moments when the competition was literally a matter of

life or death if not in this world then at least in the next. How far were people

willing to go to win over as many people as possible?

Well if one tale from Europe is any indication, they were willing to kill for it.

I'm Aaron Mankey, and this is LORE. Conflict is a breeding ground for folklore. It always has been in the same way that a dry woodland is a forest fire

waiting to happen, when people take sides and fear and hatred grow,

folklore is just around the corner. Take witchcraft as an example since just about everyone has

heard of it. In most places in Europe witchcraft was ignored for centuries. The

...