Pepsi’s new campaign cheekily nudges Coke

AUCKLAND, Today: Pepsi has launched a daring out-of-home campaign, nudging consumers to choose more than just an ‘tastes OK’ experience for their fizzy, caffeinated drinks.

The campaign, titled ‘Tastes OK’ and created by Special, debuted today, drawing attention to a subtle, overlooked detail in their main rival’s branding.

The initiative will be prominent on OOH locations nationwide and will extend to print media, online displays, partnership collaborations, influencer engagements, and social media platforms.

Vandita Pandey, PepsiCo’s Chief Marketing Officer for ANZ snacks and beverages, stated, “We’ve always been confident that Pepsi Max offers a superior taste compared to our main competitor. This latest campaign bolsters our stance as a brand that loves to challenge the status quo.”

“We have long known that Pepsi Max tastes better than our main competitor and this latest campaign helps us reinforce our position as a challenger brand.”

She added, “With Special Group’s collaboration, we aim to highlight our bold, disruptive spirit with a touch of humor, something we believe resonates deeply with our customers.”

Simon Gibson and Nils Eberhardt, Creative Directors at Special, shared their enthusiasm and the pressure of working on the ‘Tastes Better’ campaign. “It’s a campaign that commands boldness and has a history of inspiring remarkable creative work. We were brainstorming ideas until our competitor unintentionally handed us the inspiration we needed, revealing something quite striking in one of their own images.”

CREDITS

Client: PepsiCo
Chief Marketing Officer, Snacks & Beverages: Vandita Pandey
Head of Marketing Beverages: Susan Press
Marketing Manager: Tiana Handel
Brand Manager: Candy Wong

Creative Agency: Special
Partners/CEO: Lindsey Evans & Cade Heyde
Partners/CCO: Julian Schreiber & Tom Martin
Partner/CSO: Dave Hartmann
Client Services Director: Richard Sweetman
Creative Directors: Simon Gibson & Nils Eberhardt
Team Lead: Michelle Braslin
Business Director: Maddie Armstrong
Head of Stills: Nick Lilley
Integrated Producer: Danielle Senecky
Integrated Producer: Emily Willis
PR Managing Director: Alex Bryant
PR Account Director: Sarah Halpin
Creative Strategist: Kate Wilkinson

Media Agency: Trio (PHD Australia)
Group Business Director: Jen Jones
Planning Director: Gilbert Lee
Senior Investment Manager: Mikeah Irving

Production Company: Pool Collective
Photographer: Danny Eastwood
Production Company Producer: Zoe Izzard
Retoucher: Mark Sterne