IS PEPSI OK? The Cola Wars Saga continue!

How the #BetterWithPepsi campaign crumpled cultural and product truths; we heard it created ‘beef’ with the Top 3 burger chains!

The Pepsi advertisement for the National Hamburger Day left all marketeers around the globe with their mouths wide open, envying – but in a good way – the creatives of the #BetterWithPepsi campaign. They hit a nail on the head with this ad, clapping back at popular chains for excluding Pepsi from their menus, due to their exclusive deals with Coca-Cola. How did they do that you may ask? With the help of Pepsi’s marketing VP, we went to down the bottom of the strategies and tactics used in this gutsy campaign.

1. HIRE A PROFESSIONAL ORIGAMI ARTIST

They hired an Origami artist to perfectly crumple the Pepsi logo with the wrappers of Wendy’s, McDonald’s and Burger King, which awkwardly enough do not serve Pepsi at their restaurants. This proved that a creation, so simple, yet so fresh and original, can get the crowd curious and chatting about it – and who knows, maybe even combine a Pepsi drink with these flavors.

2. GET THE WHOLE NATION INVOLVED

Other than the obvious questioning of anyone who saw the Pepsi-shaped wrappers of the Big 3 chains which don’t serve Pepsi, the company also took the opportunity of the National Burger Day. They encouraged the audience to upload a photo of them drinking Pepsi, while having any burger of their choice, using the splashy hashtag #BetterWithPepsi, and would then get a free Pepsi. This hyped people up, who wouldn’t normally slurp a Pepsi with their burger, to participate and get the freebie.

3. BEEF WITH BURGER COMPANIES

Make the whole campaign centered on how you are better than anyone else, cough-cough… Coca Cola. Although they went out of their way to make a blind-testing of Pepsi and their rivals after having a burger and concluded that it goes better with Pepsi. Even though this was a bold move that they published, their intentions to get people talking about it and increasing brand equity, were met.