Pepsi Kicks off 125th Anniversary, Rolls Out New Brand Look
PepsiCo began rolling out a complete visual identity overhaul for its Pepsi brand, including an updated logo and color palette, in honor of 125 years in business. The redesign, which was introduced earlier this year, is the first update to the brand’s iconic globe logo in 14 years.
To celebrate Pepsi’s milestone birthday on Aug. 28, the brand kicked off a 125-day campaign highlighting the new look and celebrating its storied history as well as the role the brand has played in pop culture (e.g., sports, music and entertainment).
Now through New Year’s Eve, Pepsi will launch 125 various types of programming, including immersive events, social content moments and giveaways. Each touchpoint and its corresponding programming will revisit and reimagine the “impactful and culture-driving moments” consumers have cherished throughout the brand's existence, according to Pepsi in a media release.
Celebrating History
Throughout Pepsi’s history — which began August 1898 in North Carolina when pharmacists Caleb Bradham renamed his popular non-alcoholic beverage “Brad’s Drink” to “Pepsi-Cola” — Pepsi has maintained a strong link to pop culture.
Think the Pepsi Challenge — the brand’s iconic marketing ploy that began in 1975 and invites regular people to blind taste-test Pepsi and Coca-Cola — or the brand’s long run sponsoring the Super Bowl Halftime Show, and its memorable ads featuring mega stars, including some that landed and some that famously flopped. (Who could forget the Kendall Jenner ad outrage from 2017?)
This anniversary campaign pulls back the curtain on some of the brand’s most memorable moments throughout the years with immersive experiences.
The Pepsi 125 Diner
Pepsi introduced “The Pepsi 125 Diner,” an immersive restaurant experience set to be open Oct. 19-25 in New York. Pepsi says the restaurant was inspired by the “timeless American diner” experience as well as the role diners have played as a setting for some of the brand’s most memorable moments, including "Is Pepsi OK," "The Pepsi Girl" and "Pepsi-Cola Soda Shop.” Additionally:
- The restaurant's design will mirror the sets of some of Pepsi’s most memorable Pepsi commercials and feature real, one-of-a-kind memorabilia from the Pepsi archives, while also celebrating the brand's new look.
- A specially created food menu will feature diner favorites alongside unique Pepsi creations, old and new, including its Pepsi-milk creation PILK, limited-time flavors like Crystal Pepsi and Pepsi-Cola Soda Shop, and Pepsi food creations like Pepsi-Colachup.
- Seating will be booked at two-hour increments with tickets starting at $50 per person. Attendance includes a full three-course meal and Pepsi beverages and cocktails.
- Sign-ups for priority pre-sale access are available before tickets go on sale to the public next month. The first 25 fans who sign up for priority access and confirm a booking once available will also score limited-edition Pepsi swag.
- For those outside of the New York area, Pepsi will award five trips to New York to experience the diner in person via the Pepsi 125 Diner sweepstakes, open now at PepsiDinerSweepstakes.com.
"The Pepsi 125 Diner will bring the best of Pepsi all together under one roof — from some of our favorite advertisements to our biggest music moments to our rarest product experiences and so much more,” Todd Kaplan, chief marketing officer, Pepsi, said in the release.
Other Birthday Activations
- On Aug. 28, the official brand birthday, consumers across the U.S. could text "PEPSI125" to unlock a free Pepsi.
- A new suite of “high-energy” commercials will start airing this fall, featuring the brand design and showing Pepsi at the center of life’s best moments with family and friends. The new spots are set to run across linear and digital platforms.
- Across Pepsi-owned channels, the brand will highlight favorite brand moments from the past for 125 days with more consumer giveaways, activations and future surprises that Pepsi says will “engage and excite” consumers nationwide.