PepsiCo’s “Tastes Ok” campaign, which saw Pepsi Max take aim at Diet Coke, has been named B&T‘s campaign of the month for February!
The “Tastes Ok” campaign was the latest iteration of the established Pepsi Max ‘Tastes Better’ brand platform. This iteration, however, saw Pepsi focus on a “design flaw” in its biggest competitor — it doesn’t taste as good with food apparently.
The campaign led with OOH activations, but the media strategy, led by PHD’s bespoke agency for PepsiCo, Trio, saw it roll out across print, display, publisher partnerships, an influencer program and social signs.
The B&T team loved that this campaign led with bold OOH executions and its fun tone of voice.
Special, meanwhile, handled the creative. Simon Gibson and Nils Eberhardt, creative directors at the agency described working on the campaign as “exciting and intimidating in equal measure.”
“It’s such a bold and direct line and it’s led to great work in the past, so we all knew we needed to do something that lived up to it. Then, our competitor did it for us. We saw an image they put out into the world and noticed something we couldn’t unsee,” they added.
Vandita Pandey, chief marketing officer ANZ, Snacks & Beverages at PepsiCo, and B&T CMO Power List inductee said that the campaign’s “light-hearted fun” resonates with its customers. It also reflects the belief in her mind that Pepsi remains a challenger brand to the hegemonic Coke.
“From a marketing standpoint, we get to do some epic stuff. If you’re the number one brand in a category for a long period of time, you don’t feel as comfortable doing that.
“We welcome it and it motivates and excites us to be perfectly honest and our agencies. Particularly Special which has done some incredible work.”
CREDITS
CLIENT: PepsiCo
Chief Marketing Officer, Snacks & Beverages: Vandita Pandey
Head of Marketing Beverages: Susan Press
Marketing Manager: Tiana Handel
Brand Manager: Candy Wong
CREATIVE AGENCY: Special
Partners/CEO: Lindsey Evans & Cade Heyde
Partners/CCO: Julian Schreiber & Tom Martin
Partner/CSO: Dave Hartmann
Client Services Director: Richard Sweetman
Creative Directors: Simon Gibson & Nils Eberhardt
Team Lead: Michelle Braslin
Business Director: Maddie Armstrong
Head of Stills: Nick Lilley
Integrated Producer: Danielle Senecky
Integrated Producer: Emily Willis
PR Managing Director: Alex Bryant
PR Account Director: Sarah Halpin
Creative Strategist: Kate Wilkinson
MEDIA AGENCY: Trio (PHD Australia)
Group Business Director: Jen Jones
Planning Director: Gilbert Lee
Senior Investment Manager: Mikeah Irving
PRODUCTION COMPANY: Pool Collective
Photographer: Danny Eastwood Production Company Producer: Zoe Izzard Retoucher: Mark Sterne
