Pepsi launches new look by refreshing classic fashion staples in new work via Special PR

Pepsi has marked its bold new era with an innovative partnership with emerging designer Jackson Cowden, celebrating not only Pepsi’s new identity, but the reinvention of classic fashion items and conventions via Special PR.

In partnership with 22-year-old emerging ‘digital fashion artist’, the launch of the Pepsi Pulse Collection showcases Pepsi’s new visual identity, whilst challenging the status-quo of traditional design.

The bespoke 10 piece strong collection is designed distinctly AI first, taking inspiration from Pepsi’s new brand look and refreshing old familiar staples such as the little black dress and the classic white shirt; with modernity injected through innovative AI methods.

Says Alex Bryant, managing director, Special PR: “Finding an interesting way to celebrate such an iconic brand’s refresh was an amazing challenge for us in our first major campaign for Special PR for Pepsi. Taking inspiration from an industry that knows how to reinvent and refresh, we were delighted to find a shared vision with fashion designer and Creative Director for the collection, Jackson Cowden. This campaign launch demonstrates how Pepsi continues to challenge conventions, pushes the boundaries, and always puts enjoyment first.”

Says Vandita Pandey, chief marketing officer ANZ, snacks beverages at PepsiCo Australia: “Following on from hugely successful global launches in other markets, we really wanted our local launch to feel relevant to our culturally thirsty, next generation drinkers in Australia.

“Pepsi supports the next generation of creators and designers. With our new visual identity being bold, unapologetic, modern, and iconic we wanted to partner with a young designer who could put a unique take on our refresh. It was a privilege to be able to support Jackson to launch his first runway show.”

Using traditional design methods of sketching, pattern making, and multiple sample rounds would normally take Cowden up to nine months to complete a collection. With the young designer choosing instead an alternative approach in AI fashion technology, designing first in the digital world, Cowden was able to complete the final designs in 40 days, minimising waste, saving time, and pushing the boundaries of fashion traditions.

Says Jackson Cowden, designer and creative director for the collection: “It’s been incredibly significant for me to partner with Pepsi at this point in my career, a partnership born of our shared values around challenging the status quo, pushing the unconventional and searching for new and bold ways of doing things.

“The Pepsi Pulse Collection does exactly that and more, by transcending traditional boundaries and challenging conventional norms. The Pepsi “Pulse” is an illustrative way to tell different stories for the brand, it is Pepsi’s visual response to the beat of culture, reflecting the pulse of worlds we are immersed in.

“Increasingly in the near future fashion designers will be drawn towards digital fashion design, with ‘preconceived rules’ in creative fields abandoned. Pepsi is known for keeping their finger on the culture pulse, and the innovative and creative way this collection has come to life further proves this.”

Pepsi’s Pulse Collection was launched last night in partnership with Australia’s leading event and experience creator Rizer, showcased in a spectacular setting on the edge of Sydney’s iconic harbour. Fusing the physical and digital worlds, underscored by an exclusive performance from homegrown superstar G Flip, with model Samantha Harris leading the runway with James Parr.

Says Zoe Bailey, creative director, Rizer: “Jackson’s digital design process formed a huge inspiration in creating an unconventional runway show, with the energy of Pepsi’s bold identity. Embracing the unconventional, we blur the lines between fashion, animation, lighting, sound, dance, and performance, all in one story.”

The runway was also live-streamed via oOh!media’s iconic full motion site in The Bourke in Melbourne. In a first for oOh!media’s innovation and creative hub, POLY, it managed the end to end production from broadcast to delivery.

The Pepsi Pulse Runway Collection is rolling out across experiential, earned, social and OOH.

Client: Pepsi
Chief Marketing Officer, Snacks & Beverages: Vandita Pandey
Head of Marketing Beverages: Susan Press
Marketing Manager: Tiana Handel
Brand Manager: Candy Wong
Senior Corporate Communications Manager: Skye Oxenham

Special PR
Lindsay Evans – Partner and CEO
Alex Bryant – Managing Director
Dave Hartmann – Strategy Partner
Tom Martin – Partner and CCO
Julian Schreiber – Partner and CCO
Max McKeon – Creative Director
Kate Wilkinson – Creative Strategist
Michelle Braslin – Team Lead
Maddie Armstrong – Business Director
Sarah Halpin – Account Director
Allex Conley – Publicist
Bella Hayes – Account Executive
Jamie Astley – Business Director
Irnin Khan – Social Lead
Maggie Webster – Designer

Design team
Jackson Cowden – Creative Director and Lead Designer of the Pepsi Pulse Collection
Sophie Azar – Head of Fashion Production
Liam Ramirez – Production Assistant / Machinist
Kolet Hodgson – Production Coordinator
Sophie Nixon – Production Coordinator

Rizer
Barry Wafer – Founding Director
Mellani Tallis – General Manager
Edward Woolrych – Head of Projects
Bim Ricketson – Chief Creative Officer
Adam Lofthouse – Head of Production
Ashley Diamond – Executive Producer
Zoe Bailey – Creative Director
Dominica Lipinski – Senior Producer
Andrew Lee – Senior Production Manager
Pamela Craddock – Talent Executive
Mieke Bosschieter – Associate Producer
Olivia Rowlands – Creative

PHD
Jen Jones – Group Business Director
Imogen Speck – Business Director
Gilbert Lee – Planning Director
Christine Chen – Group Investment Manager
Mikeah Irving – Senior Investment Manager

OOH
Richard Moore: Production and Content Director
Zoe Chan-Iverach – Digital Producer
Luke Haillay – Multimedia Developer
Mark Passlow – Technology Lead
Michelle Su – Technology Analyst