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PepsiCo has done a lot of promotion in its 125 years, from iconic ads to sports sponsorships to music marketing.<\/p>\n
Perhaps that\u2019s why, when it came time to begin preparing for Pepsi\u2019s 125th anniversary on Aug. 28, the marketing team couldn\u2019t settle on just one activation.<\/p>\n
Instead, Pepsi is running 125 different programs over 125 days leading up to New Year\u2019s Eve, including opening a diner in New York City that embraces nostalgia while also promoting some of the newer elements of the brand.<\/p>\n
\u201cPepsi and diners have been inextricably linked for years,\u201d CMO Todd Kaplan told Marketing Brew. \u201cWe thought this was a great way to kick things off by letting consumers experience an immersive restaurant experience\u2026bringing to life some of the best pop culture moments from Pepsi, some of the best culinary and beverage components of Pepsi, all together in one really unique experience.\u201d<\/p>\n
Past: <\/strong>Diners have indeed shown up time and time again in Pepsi\u2019s marketing materials, from the \u201cPepsi Girl\u201d ad of the \u201990s to the brand\u2019s \u201cIs Pepsi OK?\u201d 2019 Super Bowl campaign. Kaplan also pointed to \u201cThe Olympia Restaurant\u201d SNL skit about a diner that only serves cheeseburgers, chips, and, of course, Pepsi.<\/p>\n The Pepsi 125 Diner serves more than that, including limited-edition flavors from the past like Crystal Pepsi and Pepsi-Cola Soda Shop, as well as newer atrocities delicacies like Colachup and Pilk. It\u2019ll be open from Oct. 19-26, seating patrons for two-hour reservations for $50 each, which includes three courses plus drinks.<\/p>\n To measure ROI, Kaplan said his team is tracking sign-ups for the waitlist and plans to gauge sentiment among those who snag seats. The experience will be \u201cvery Instagrammable,\u201d he said, so social shares will also contribute to determining its success.<\/p>\n The email newsletter guaranteed to bring you the latest stories shaping the marketing and advertising world, like only the Brew can.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n \u201cThe new way to build brand experiences isn\u2019t just for the people on site, but it\u2019s to make sure they can become a megaphone for broader people on digital and social,\u201d Kaplan said.<\/p>\n Present: <\/strong>In addition to celebrating the brand\u2019s anniversary, the overarching campaign is meant to usher in Pepsi\u2019s new logo and visual identity, which was announced in March but didn\u2019t officially start to roll out until this month. Internally, it\u2019s been in the works for more than four years, Kaplan said.<\/p>\n The new look is front and center in a new round of commercials set to start airing across linear and digital channels in the fall.<\/p>\nGet marketing news you’ll actually want to read<\/h5>\n