The Pepsi Challenge
50 years after the original Pepsi Challenge, the brand reintroduced its challenger mindset for a new generation — this time through Pepsi Zero Sugar.
We built a modern platform designed to prove product superiority at scale, inviting consumers to “Let Your Taste Decide”, where one of Pepsi’s most iconic platforms was re-imagined as a fully integrated, participation-driven system.
The work balanced heritage with a bold, contemporary expression — designed to scale seamlessly across physical and digital environments while meeting consumers wherever they were.
My Role
Led creative direction for the reintroduction of the Pepsi Challenge — developing a 360° brand system spanning identity, experiential, retail, and campaign execution.
Challenger Identity.
A modern visual system reinterpreted iconic equity for a new generation.
The identity drew from the spirit and energy of the original Pepsi Challenge while introducing a more contemporary visual language through angled compositions, typographic intensity, and a black and electric blue palette.
Built around the Pepsi Owners font, the system scaled cohesively across retail, out-of-home, digital, and experiential touchpoints.
National Taste Tour.
A national tour transformed the campaign into a live, participatory platform.
The experience was anchored by a flagship mobile activation supported by a fleet of Pepsi Challenge Broncos, enabling agile events across 34 markets and major cultural moments.
Designed for flexibility and scale, the system created a consistent brand presence while allowing activations to adapt across environments and audiences.
Artifacts & Collectibles.
A broad ecosystem of objects and merchandise extended the identity beyond the live experience.
The system expanded across at-home kits, PR kits, and campaign merchandise including apparel, caps, and totes.
A limited-edition retro collection — featuring a custom Igloo cooler and vintage-inspired T-shirt — reintroduced iconic Pepsi Challenge equity through a more collectible lens.
Together, these elements reinforced the challenger spirit of the campaign while turning the brand into a tactile, highly shareable experience.
Impact
Pepsi Zero Sugar won every market in the national Taste Tour — including Atlanta — with consumer preference exceeding 60%
Distributed over 1 million samples across 34 markets, driving large-scale consumer participation
Delivered +30% YTD sales growth in 2025, significantly outpacing the broader zero sugar cola category
Reached over 1 million new households year-over-year
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