(Rolling Stone) How Pepsi Has Prevailed for 125 Years by Jeremy Hodges & Steve Simoncic
Advertising vets weigh in on how the cola brand built a century-plus-long marketing reign
BARRY BRECHEISEN (VIA GETTY IMAGES)
FOR OVER 125 years, Pepsi has not only created ads, it has created culture, collaborating with musicians, artists, and icons to make moments that transcend marketing and contribute to the broader cultural conversation. So, we brought together a couple world-class mad men to have a conversation about Pepsi’s role as a maker, a cultural force, and a brand that has lived in the new, and the now, for 125 years. Creative Director, Jeremy Hodges, founder of the Project Art Collective and Steven Simoncic, Partner/CCO at Morning Walk, sat down to talk about craft, creativity, and how a soda maker became a culture maker.
Jeremy Hodges: Did you even know that Pepsi has been around for 125 years?
Steven Simoncic: It’s really interesting, other brands that are north of 100 years sort of show and wear their age a bit. Even solid, successful, brands like LL Bean, Red Wing Boots, or Harley Davidson — all great brands in their own right, but they all, on some level, sort of lean on their legacy. Pepsi not so much. It is a brand that unapologetically looks toward the future. Pepsi is a young 125 in large part because it never allows itself to coast.
Hodges: I was surprised that they have been around for so long. It’s incredible how Pepsi has managed to stay relevant for 125 years. They’ve definitely mastered the art of staying cool and current. It’s impressive how they are able to be a part of the conversation in a cool way.
What cultural moments or icons come to mind when you think of Pepsi? How do you think these moments have shaped our society?
Simoncic: I think what Pepsi does so well is genuinely partner and play with culture makers. As a brand, it doesn’t seem to overthink what a potential collaboration or association could do or mean for the brand (positively or negatively). From David Bowie to Cardi B, Pepsi is not a brand that has said, this is the only kind of person that can represent us. Pepsi has been pretty open and inclusive from the very beginning – and not just through sanitized press releases or paper–thin corporate mission statements. Pepsi seeks out tastemakers and makes memorable work with them. That is, of course, capitalistic and opportunistic, but it’s also sort of brave and rare in corporate America.
Hodges: You’re right. Pepsi’s forward-thinking approach in the 1940s, by hiring Black professionals and embracing diversity, was a groundbreaking cultural moment in the cola war. There’s a book you have to read. It’s by Stephanie Capparell and called The Real Pepsi Challenge: The Inspirational Story of Breaking the Color Barrier in American Business, which goes into detail about this. It’s about the story of Walter Mack, who was president of Pepsi during his time with the company, and his decision to hire an all-Black sales team during an era of Jim Crow. It’s fascinating how they entered untapped markets by portraying Black families as part of the American Dream in their early advertisements. It was a precursor to the larger societal shifts we saw, including Jackie Robinson’s integration of major league baseball. Carrying this legacy into modern times, it’s clear how the concept of the “Pepsi Generation” emerged. It represents not just a demographic but a mindset that embraces inclusivity, innovation, and courage to challenge the status quo.
The achievements of individuals like Harvey Russell, who broke barriers by becoming the first Black American promoted to VP in a major corporation in 1962 and Indra Nooyi’s journey as an India-born woman who eventually became Pepsi’s CEO, shows their commitment to breaking traditional norms. Pepsi’s bold and progressive approach to advertising is truly commendable.