Pepsi endorses a different kind of ‘wild side’ in millennial-focused Wild Cherry campaign
Two new spots shine a light on the universal millennial experience of embracing youthfulness while trying to adapt to the adult world of child-rearing and responsibilities.
Pepsi is encouraging fans to “get wild” in a campaign promoting its Pepsi Wild Cherry soda. The initiative, which consists of two 30-second spots, arrives just in time for NFL Wild Card Weekend, the start of the league’s highly-anticipated postseason.
The campaign, ‘Get Wild,’ focuses on an all-too-common experience: embracing the challenges of adulthood without fully letting go of a sense of playful youthfulness.
In one spot, a couple dances to Get Low by Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz – a raunchy staple of the millennial library – while rocking their infant to sleep and sipping Pepsi Wild Cherry. The other spot, dubbed ‘#1 Fan,’ sees a man don eye black and scream in exuberance as he smashes a cooler of Pepsi Wild Cherry on the ground – only to realize he’s at a kids’ soccer game, not a big-time football tailgate.
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The campaign was developed from a key consumer insight: the discovery that millennials – and female millennials in particular – are driving the growth of the flavored cola category. The most popular flavor in the US? Cherry, of course.
“We know millennials are seeking fruity and flavorful options when they drink cola and consumer preferences indicate cherry-flavored cola as a top choice,” said Jenny Danzi, Pepsi’s senior marketing director. She hopes that the brand’s Pepsi Wild Cherry – available in regular, diet and zero sugar options – will satisfy those cravings.
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“As a millennial myself, I know firsthand what it’s like to feel nostalgic for our younger, freer days – and I know that we’re also still good at getting a little bit ‘wild,’” she added. ”That’s why I love how our new ‘Get Wild’ campaign shows that a sweet, flavorful sip of Pepsi Wild Cherry can inspire us to inject some of that ‘wild’ feeling in our new realities.”
The new ads were directed by filmmaker and comedian Kate Hollowell from global production studio Epoch Films. Hollowell, who has made her mark in short films, commercial work and music videos, was shortlisted for the 2023 Cannes Young Director Award.
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To capitalize on the hype of the NFL playoff season, the new campaign will make its national television debut on January 13 during the league’s Wild Card Weekend.
It’s not the only way Pepsi is getting in on the Wild Card Weekend action, though. Running through January 28, the brand is encouraging fans to purchase a Pepsi Wild Cherry in select retailers and scan the code at special displays for a chance to win tickets to next year’s NFL Wild Card Weekend.
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Plus, the cola giant is giving away its product for free. Starting this weekend and running through Super Bowl Weekend on February 11, fans can get free Pepsi Wild Cherry by texting “WILDCHERRY” to 81234.
The brand is also planning what it says is a “significant investment” across digital platforms, social media and broadcast media to promote Pepsi Wild Cherry throughout the NFL postseason.
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