Dive Brief:

• Pepsi announced a new international marketing platform and tagline, "For the Love of It," which will feature a collection of new content throughout the year that celebrates the brand's connection to entertainment, according to a company press release.
• In 2019, Pepsi is teaming up with music industry veteran Simon Fuller and his new pop group Now United, which features 14 singers and dancers from around the world. The group will record a new Pepsi jingle and "musical mnemonic." Pepsi will also create special experiences and content around Now United's worldwide tour.
• The "For the Love of It" brand identity is set to include design-led packaging, out-of-home art displays, TV commercials and digital content. Fans are encouraged to join the conversation on social media through hashtag #ForTheLoveOfIt.

Dive Insight:

Pepsi is calling its new tagline a "rallying cry" for younger consumers to live out their passions in things like music or sports. The brand is also celebrating its connection to the entertainment industry and supporting emerging talent to reach their growing fan base. The messaging, cross-platform approach and partnership with Now United is likely an effort to reach Gen Zers. While young consumers are traditionally a key demographic for soft drink brands, Gen Zers, like the older millennial cohort, tend to prefer healthier, less-sugary beverages, and nearly half think drinking soda is unhealthy, according to Mintel.

"For the Love of It" follows last year's successful "Pepsi Generations" push celebrating the brand's 120-year history and running across its full drink portfolio. The company reported that the effort had delivered positive results, including higher brand and advertising recall and regard. The campaign last year launched with a Super Bowl spot featuring a new spin on its iconic 1992 commercial featuring Cindy Crawford. Pepsi also released "icon cans" showcasing music stars like Ray Charles, Michael Jackson and Britney Spears, with each artist paired with Pepsi's logo from their respective eras.

The new campaign is the first major overhaul for the brand in seven years, The Drum reports. PepsiCo said last year that it planned to increase marketing spend across its beverage portfolio and hoped that new products, like sparkling water brand Bubly and Pepsi Zero, would connect with consumers concerned about their sugar intake and help the company reverse previous sales declines. The company also announced plans last year to invest some of the millions of dollars it expected to save from the GOP tax plan into adding new e-commerce and digital capabilities to become more competitive in the increasingly crowded beverage space and to refresh its brand image to connect with younger, digital-savvy consumers.