125 years ago, a pharmacist named Caleb Bradham made his “Pepsi-Cola” digestif, setting the stage for Pepsi today. To celebrate the milestone birthday, Pepsi is launching a 125-day long campaign, leading into New Year’s Eve.
To kick off the celebrations, Pepsi is announcing the opening of The Pepsi 125 Diner in New York in October, according to a company release. The restaurant will offer replica décor from memorable Pepsi commercials to highlight the company’s history and achievements over the years, Pepsi-themed foods like the concoction “Pilk,” a Pepsi and milk drink and an immersive experience during diners’ meals.
The diner is meant to honor the company’s history within pop culture. “Pepsi has become an iconic brand over the past 125 years with a rich legacy of challenging the status quo in pursuit of enjoyment—both in the beverage industry and pop culture at large. As we celebrate the brand's historic milestone over the next 125 days, we will honor some of our most cherished cultural moments as we look ahead towards our next chapter with the rollout of the new Pepsi logo and visual identity," said Todd Kaplan, chief marketing officer, Pepsi.
In addition to the diner and immersive experiences for fans, Pepsi is also using the birthday as a jumping off point for its new logo. (Read about the new logo in NACS Daily.)
“The 125th anniversary of Pepsi coincides with the official transition to the brand's new logo and visual identity across all touchpoints including packaging, signage, equipment and more, marking the next era for the iconic brand,” the press release said.
Fans can also text “PEPSI125” to get a free Pepsi on August 28. And a series of new Pepsi commercials will begin to air this fall in honor of the celebrations, which will feature the new branding.