Pepsi Pokes Fun at Coke with 'Rum and Pepsi’ Campaign

In preparation for National Rum Month this August, Pepsi launched a new campaign that not only pokes fun at its rival soft drink brand, but also proves that its drink goes well with alcoholic beverages. 

In the new “Rum and Pepsi” campaign, the company replaces Coca-Cola – a key ingredient in the famous rum cocktail – with its own soft drink. 

To drive its point home, the company released a series of ads that showcased rum brands like Captain Morgan and Bacardi partnered with Pepsi. 

“Not behind the bar? Always in the picture,” the ad proclaimed. 

 

 

 

 

 

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A recent survey from the company reportedly showed that 56% of participants preferred Pepsi over Coke when paired with rum. The brand saw this as an opportunity to market its drink as a better alternative.  

“For far too long, people have gotten the bar call wrong when ordering the world’s most popular rum cocktail,” Todd Kaplan, chief marketing officer of Pepsi, explained.  

“[Quite] often people order ‘rum and Coke’ out of conformity rather than taste preference, as our data shows that people actually prefer the taste of rum and Pepsi,” he added.  

The Rum and Pepsi spots were made by creative agency Alma together with origami artist Raya Sader, and rolled out in digital, print, and in out-of-home placements today.  

It marks the company’s latest efforts to push its ongoing “Better with Pepsi” campaign that positions its drink as the perfect partner for every occasion.  

 

 

 

 

 

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