If you’ve ever watched people argue about whether Mexican Coke or US Coke is better, you know they’re debating more than just sugar and bubbles.

It’s identity, nostalgia, and “my version is right and yours is… fine, I guess.”

As someone who grew up on the Texas-Mexico border, I’ve heard this debate my whole life. But as a marketer, I’m far less interested in which one actually tastes better and way more interested in why people care so much in the first place, because that is where the marketing gold lives.

Let’s dive into how tiny differences, strong opinions, and friendly disagreements can turn your brand from “nice to have” into “this is my thing, don’t talk trash about it.”

Why People Love Picking Sides (Even Over Soda)

On paper, the Mexican Coke vs. US Coke fight is ridiculous. It’s the same brand. Same logo. Similar formula. So why do people dig in so hard?

Because debates like this give people:

• A team: “I’m a Mexican Coke person” is shorthand for “this is part of who I am.”
  
• A story to tell: They cite the glass bottle, the “real sugar,” the way it tastes at a taco stand instead of a drive-thru.
  
• A feeling of being “in the know:” People like the idea of knowing the “better” version of something everyone else sees as generic.

Harley-Davidson did this on a bigger scale: they didn’t just build a product; they built a community of people who identify with the brand’s lifestyle and values.

Coke benefits from the same psychology. When they talk Mexican versus US Coke, people aren’t just defending a drink; they’re defending part of their identity.

Controversy (Done Right) Is a Marketing Advantage

A lot of small business owners are terrified of being “too much”:

• Too opinionated
  
• Too different
  
• Too specific
  

So their brand voice becomes beige. Polite. Safe. And completely forgettable. But the uncomfortable truth is, people don’t defend bland brands.

Brands that win loyalty create emotional reactions, not just intellectual agreement. Research on emotional branding shows that emotionally engaged customers are far more likely to repurchase, recommend, and stay loyal. Even when cheaper options exist.

Your small business can tap into the same dynamics, without starting a fight or being a jerk.

You Don’t Need a Fight. You Need a Stance.

You don’t have to pick a political hill to die on. You just need to stop being neutral about what you believe. For example, your stance might be:

• “We’ll always prioritize depth over speed.”
  
• “We design for neurodivergent brains first, then everyone else benefits.”
  
• “We believe boring marketing is broken marketing.”

When you take a real stance:

• Some people will disagree. Good. They’re not your people.
  
• Some people will feel weirdly seen. Those are your people.
  
• Your content becomes instantly more memorable, because it’s grounded in something you’d actually defend.

If you want to understand why emotional, story-driven marketing sticks in people’s brains longer than generic messaging, go read The Neuroscience of Memorable Marketing. We break down how the brain filters out 99% of forgettable marketing and how to make sure yours lands in the 1% that sticks.

Turn “Tiny Difference” into a Brand-Defining Line in the Sand

The actual formula difference between Mexican Coke and US Coke is real, but subtle. Small businesses can use the same principle:

Pick a simple contrast that matters to your audience.

• Templates vs. custom builds
  
• DIY chaos vs. guided structure
  
• “Set it and forget it” vs. “high-touch and tailored”

Say it clearly. Repeatedly. On purpose.

Don’t bury your stance in one paragraph on your About page. Bake it into your content, your offers, and your examples. If you’re not sure how to structure that content mix, The 3 Types of Content You Need to Grow is a great place to start. It’ll help you balance visibility, trust, and conversion without burning yourself out.

Let people self-select.

When you say, “We’re for X and absolutely not Y,” it gives people permission to say:

• “Yes, that’s me,” or
  
• “Nope, not my style.”

Both answers are useful. Confused customers drain your time and clog your pipeline.

How to Find Your Version of the Mexican Coke Debate

If you’re sitting there thinking, “Okay, but what’s my thing?” you’re not alone.

Start here:

• What frustrates you about your industry?

What do you secretly rant about to your spouse or your best friend? That’s usually where your strongest (and most compelling) stance lives.

• What do you do differently on purpose?

Maybe you build slower but with more depth. Maybe you refuse to shame people into buying. Maybe you design everything for sensory-sensitive or ADHD brains first.

• How would your best clients describe why they chose you?

Not the formal testimonial version. The “I love them because…” version.

That overlap is your “Mexican Coke vs. US Coke” zone. The thing people can have an opinion about. The thing they can defend.

If you want a deeper dive on turning that into a visible brand element, How to Find Your Yellow Tux walks through how to translate your core differentiator into something people instantly associate with you.

Strong Opinions Create Stronger Brands

At the end of the day, it doesn’t actually matter which Coke I pick in a taste test.

What matters is this:

• People love to belong to something.
  
• They love to feel right about something small and specific.
  
• They remember the brands that give them that feeling.
  

Your job as a small business owner isn’t to please everyone. It’s to give the right people a clear reason to say: “That’s my brand. That’s my person.”

So here’s your homework:

• Pick one stance you’re willing to say out loud.
  
• Thread it through one piece of content this week—a post, an email, a video.
  
• Watch who leans in.
  

Ready to Turn Your Stance into a Strategy?

If you’re done posting “safe” content that doesn’t move the needle, and you’re ready to build marketing that actually sounds like you and attracts your people, I’d love to help.

Check out how my marketing support and done-for-you services can help you build a brand people would fight for.