ICONIC BRANDS

Pepsi unveils marketing strategy to celebrate its 125th birthday

By our News Team | 2023

New logo and packaging design, a pop-up New York City diner, increased content marketing, and new commercials are all part of the fun.

One of the world’s most iconic brands, Pepsi, recently kicked off celebrations of its 125th birthday with 125 days of activities and promotions focused on its home market of the US.

Among the marketing activities planned as Pepsi enters its next era is the unveiling of a new logo and packaging design. There is also a special focus on sports, music and entertainment – areas where it has targeted much of its brand building in recent years.

Photo courtesy of Pepsi

The Pepsi journey began in 1898 in New Bern, a riverfront town in North Carolina, where pharmacist Caleb Bradham renamed ‘Brad’s Drink’, his popular non-alcoholic digestif, ‘Pepsi-Cola’.

The rest, as they say, is history. Today Pepsi has evolved into PepsiCo – a multinational company with a range of brands such as Lay’s, Doritos, Cheetos, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Mountain Dew, Quaker, and SodaStream.

It generated more than US$86-billion in net revenue in 2022 and has a presence in more than 200 countries and territories.

“We want a nod back and a leap forward,” Pepsi CMO, Todd Kaplan, explained in an interview with the website, Marketing Dive. “Similarly, we want to recognise and celebrate 125 years as a major milestone for any brand.”

Designed to entice new brand loyalists

While the birthday campaign will be very relevant to existing Pepsi fans, it’s also designed to bring new loyalists into the fold, Kaplan said. This includes more focus on low-sugar and sugar-free product offerings.

“As we look forward, all the consumer trends are pointing toward zero sugar. That is a huge, growing category,” he told Marketing Dive. “We want to get as many people to try it as possible.”

Among the marketing activities is a pop-up ‘Pepsi 125 Diner’ that will operate in the heart of New York City from 19-25 October.

Attendees can book seats in two-hour slots, with tickets starting at US$50 per person. This includes a three-course meal, complimentary Pepsi beverages and cocktails, and a front-row seat for an immersive Pepsi experience.

There will also be various competitions and rollout of a new series of commercials, increased PR and content marketing, and a special edition of People magazine dedicated entirely to the Pepsi brand.

“Experiential marketing is definitely having a comeback,” said Kaplan. “The diner ties into a ‘Better with Pepsi’ platform introduced in 2021 that touts Pepsi as the superior pairing with foods – including hamburgers, pizza and hot dogs.”

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