Pepsi: Food Deserves Pepsi
PepsiCo challenged BBDO New York to increase Pepsi's market share in the mealtime segment. Facing Coca-Cola's dominance in food service, the brand needed to convince food lovers that Pepsi isn't just a drink, but a necessary flavor enhancer that makes every bite of their favorite meals taste better.
Creative Idea
Positioned the cola as a functional flavor enhancer that completes diverse, high-flavor global dishes.
Pepsi repositioned itself as the essential flavor companion for diverse global cuisines, using high-energy sensory cues to demonstrate how its crisp, citrus-forward profile cuts through fats and spices to elevate every mealtime experience.
Chasing Burgers and Crashing Tailgates in Blue Jumpsuits
The Frunk Fountain Engineering
To bring the Pepsi Chase Cars and Undercover Cups stunts to life, the production team at Good Behavior and director Pete Marquis custom - engineered sports cars with a hidden technical twist. They installed fully functional Pepsi fountain machines inside the "frunks" (front trunks) of the vehicles, allowing a fleet of agents in branded blue jumpsuits to serve fresh soda at a moment's notice. These agents utilized guerilla tactics to infiltrate McDonald’s, Burger King, and Wendy’s - all Coca - Cola exclusive partners - to swap customers' drinks for Pepsi in disguised cups.
Scoring Double Digit Growth
The aggressive "challenger" strategy paid off at the register. PepsiCo’s 2025 Annual Report credited the platform with driving double - digit net revenue growth and significant market share gains for Pepsi Zero Sugar. The digital impact was equally massive, with the pizza - themed stunts surpassing 5 million views on YouTube and the burger - themed "Undercover Cups" generating over 4 million views. A strategic retail partnership with Casey’s saw a 78% increase in new loyalty member registrations within just seven days.
Flags on the Play
The campaign leveraged high - profile talent like NFL stars Josh Allen and Justin Jefferson for the "Tailgate Crashers" iteration. To own the ritual of American football, agents would throw yellow penalty flags at fans eating without a Pepsi, claiming they were "leaving taste on the bench." This playful rivalry extended to the packaging itself; in a direct jab at Coca - Cola, Pepsi released limited - edition bottles that replaced names with food items, such as "Share a Pepsi with Burgers" or "Share a Pepsi with Tacos."
Creative Strategy Deconstructed
Company
A crisp, citrus-heavy flavor profile specifically designed to cut through rich, fatty, and spicy food textures.
Category
Competitors focus on generic lifestyle imagery or brand heritage rather than the functional benefits of food pairing.
Customer
Diners want to maximize the flavor of their favorite meals but often view the beverage as an afterthought.
Culture
A global culinary explosion where bold, diverse flavors have become the new standard for everyday social dining.
Company
A crisp, citrus-heavy flavor profile specifically designed to cut through rich, fatty, and spicy food textures.
Category
Competitors focus on generic lifestyle imagery or brand heritage rather than the functional benefits of food pairing.
Strategy:
Transform a standalone commodity into a functional component that completes a specific, high-frequency consumer ritual.
Customer
Diners want to maximize the flavor of their favorite meals but often view the beverage as an afterthought.
Culture
A global culinary explosion where bold, diverse flavors have become the new standard for everyday social dining.
Strategy:
Transform a standalone commodity into a functional component that completes a specific, high-frequency consumer ritual.
Strategy Technique
Shift the Context
By moving the brand from a standalone beverage to an essential food companion, Pepsi bypasses direct taste comparisons and claims ownership of the mealtime occasion.
Explore Technique
Creative Technique
Create a Ritual
The campaign establishes a new consumption habit by visually and sonically linking the opening of a Pepsi can to the first bite of various popular dishes.
Explore Technique
Craft Breakdown
The ad's impact is driven by its rhythmic editing and high-end food cinematography, making the product feel essential to the dining experience.
The macro food shots and dynamic lighting across different environments create a highly appetizing visual language.
The cuts are perfectly synchronized with the beat of the music and the foley sounds of the cans opening.
“The synergy between the rhythmic sound design and the fast-paced visual cuts creates a sensory 'thirst-quenching' effect.”
