Coke snags mall deal from Pepsi

ATLANTA - The battle between Coca-Cola and Pepsi is coming to a mall near you. <br> <br> Atlanta-based Coca-Cola Company says it has entered into a marketing agreement with the nation&#39;s largest mall operator -- Simon Property Group. Simon had been doing business with PepsiCo Incorporated&#39;s Pepsi-Cola division for several years. <br> <br> The alliance, which begins in January, covers vending, sponsorships, promotion and advertising across the vast Simon franchise. <br> <br> Coca-Cola will have promotional and exclusive vending rights within the common areas of Simon properties in the United States. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. <br> <br> Simon&#39;s chief marketing officer -- Stewart Stockdale -- declined to comment on the terms but says the deal was about more than money. He says it was about the Coca-Cola brand and its marketing ability. <br> <br> Pepsi has announced that it renewed its marketing agreement with Chicago-based mall operator General Growth Properties. It&#39;s a five-year deal, but financial terms were not disclosed. <br> <br> General Growth is the second-largest mall operator in the country behind Simon.