Pepsi blends NFL, New York Fashion Week kickoffs in capsule collection

Dive Brief:

Pepsi is teaming with legendary Harlem couturier Dapper Dan for a limited-edition capsule collection, per a press release. The apparel release is timed to the beginning of the NFL season (Sept. 9) and New York Fashion Week (Sept. 11).
The Pepsi x Dapper Dan Football Watching Capsule Collection includes a lounger, hoodie, bucket hat and collectible Pepsi can. The luxury lounge gear is inspired by classic football jerseys and is made in Dapper Dan's logo-heavy style.
Capsule items are available Sept. 9-23 at MadeForFootballWatching.com/DapperDan to the first 400 consumers who sign up, with the first three receiving the handmade lounger. The capsule is part of the brand's larger "Made For Football Watching" campaign that seeks to outfit fans for at-home football viewing.

Dive Insight:

Pepsi continues its "Made For Football Watching" campaign — now in its second year — by tying together the NFL and New York Fashion Week with a fashion-forward capsule collection that seeks to engage football and pop culture fans. The luxury loungewear is crafted with at-home viewing in mind, which could be the preferred way for fans to watch games as the coronavirus delta surge complicates the return to pre-pandemic activities.

"With this year's NFL season kicking off at the same time as New York Fashion Week: The Shows, we thought it was the perfect opportunity to celebrate the football watching experience with some fashionable yet comfortable loungewear, perfect for game day on the couch," Todd Kaplan, VP of marketing at Pepsi, said in the press release.

Over the last few years, capsule collections have become de rigueur marketing tactics for CPG and QSR brands looking to be part of culture and become lifestyle brands. Pepsi is bringing some cachet to its capsule collection by partnering with Dapper Dan, an influential designer who is credited with introducing high fashion to the world of hip-hop. The self-described "father of logo-mania" has outfitted the likes of Beyoncé, Jay-Z, Aaliyah, P. Diddy and more.

By making items from the capsule collection available on MadeForFootballWatching.com, Pepsi is embracing direct-to-consumer tactics that could help the CPG giant collect increasingly valuable first-party data. This approach has also driven similar efforts, including the launch of Pep's Place, a virtual restaurant that lets consumers pick their favorite beverage and see suggested food pairings available for ordering and delivery.

Pepsi kicked off this year's iteration of "Made For Football Watching" campaign in August with a spot starring "Billions" and "Breaking Bad" actor David Costabile. As part of the push, Pepsi teamed with NFLShop.com to sell specially marked cases that carry QR codes, which can unlock points toward official gear and weekly sweepstakes. In kind, the Dapper Dan capsule will be available during the weekly sweepstakes from Sept. 12-18 and Sept. 26-Oct. 2.