Brand experience company Akcelo partnered with PepsiCo ANZ to deliver two fan activations at the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne, bringing Pepsi and Doritos trackside for racegoers across Albert Park.
The activations formed part of PepsiCo’s global partnership with Formula 1, which sees its portfolio of brands integrated into race experiences around the world.
For Doritos, the brand’s global ‘Taste The Thrill’ campaign celebrates Doritos alongside the high-speed thrills of Formula 1. Akcelo brought the campaign to life at Albert Park with the ‘Taste The Thrill’ Tower, a 21 metre tower with a viewing platform overlooking the track, featuring panoramic views across the circuit and surrounding precinct.
A Doritos Loaded Nachos Food Truck is also included as part of the activation. Fans who purchase Doritos Loaded Nachos could skip the queue by gaining access to Tower via the dedicated express lane, directly linking Doritos nachos with the reward of the viewing platform.
Alessia Taddei chief marketing officer ANZ Foods said: “We challenged the Akcelo team to deliver something truly bold to bring the Doritos brand experience to life at the Formula 1. It’s impossible to miss the 21-metre-tall tower we’ve built trackside to reward and excite fans who are up for the challenge of taking 92 steps to the top of the viewing platform.”
Pepsi took pole position at Albert Park with Planet Pepsi, a bar experience in the Lakeside precinct designed as a refreshment pit stop for race-going fans. Developed by Akcelo, the activation served Pepsi favourites alongside exclusive Planet Pepsi cocktails inspired by iconic Formula 1 host cities.
Planet Pepsi brought nations together through custom 360° Pepsi Pulse visuals inspired by race destinations. With every cocktail purchase, fans receive a limited-edition racing patch designed to match the country graphics lighting up the bar.
Susan Press marketing director beverages said: “We wanted to create something that celebrates not only the coming together of two iconic brands, but also fans from around the globe.”
“The Planet Pepsi bar promises to be one of the most exciting destinations at the Australian Grand Prix, giving fans the chance to enjoy the Pepsi drinks they know and love alongside something new, with race-inspired cocktails from around the world. With global flavours and immersive design, Planet Pepsi is designed as a central meeting point for F1 fans across race weekend.”
Aden Hepburn CEO of Akcelo said: “Formula 1 is one of the most electrifying sporting events in the world, so the opportunity for brands like Pepsi and Doritos is to create experiences that match that level of energy. Our brief was to create fan experiences that captured the scale, energy and excitement of the race while showcasing PepsiCo’s brands in distinctive ways. It’s been fantastic working closely with the PepsiCo team to bring these activations to life for fans at Albert Park.”
Credits:
Client: PepsiCo ANZ
Doritos:
Chief Marketing Officer, ANZ Foods: Alessia Taddei
Marketing Director, Snack Brands: Tracy Hardwick
Marketing Manager: Kat Miller / Michelle Sonnleitner
Senior Brand Manager: Laura West
Assistant Brand Manager: James Noakesmith
Pepsi:
Marketing Director, Beverages: Susan Press
Senior Marketing Manager: Tom Floyd
Brand Manager: Liam Brodie
Creative Agency: Akcelo
CEO: Aden Hepburn
Global Creative Director: Louise McQuat
Chief Strategy Officer: Dave Di Verolit
Client Partner: OIi Cassidy
Business Lead: Matty Graham
Associate Creative Director: Ilya Aronovich
Creative Lead: Misha McDonald
Senior Creative: George Organ
Director & Client Lead: Events & Activations: Britt King
Experiential Production Director: Bethan Tolmaer
Creative Experiential Producer: Ben Turner
Experiential Producers: Taylor Inberg & Shannon Andreucci
Senior Producer (Content): Dan Burns
Social Lead: Mitch McGuire
Senior Motion Designer: Jamie Muscat
Studio Manager: Stevie Au
Designer: Lee Stephens
