1898
125 Years Later,
Pepsi Is Still the Cool Kid
How the cola earned its icon status.
By Samantha Sasso
A century ago, Pepsi — at least its original cola formula — was marketed as dyspepsia relief (hence the name), but its residence in the drugstore was short-lived. Eventually, it would cement itself in pop culture as a soda so good even your favorite pop princess drinks it.
Over the course of 125 years, Pepsi went from the cola underdog to the cool kid. Using pop culture as a provision to fuel its youth-driven campaigns and celebrity endorsements, the soft drink garnered so much power that, by 1964, it claimed an entire generation. Even then, Pepsi was nowhere near the finish line. If it wanted to extend its appeal to those who “think young” it would have to evolve — and so it did, over and over again, “Pepsi generation” after “Pepsi generation.”
Pepsi’s quasquicentennial marks another generational era for the soft drink, which means we have a good excuse to take a trip down memory lane and revisit some of the soda’s greatest culture-defining moments. You might be surprised at how many of your core memories begin and end with Pepsi’s relentless dedication to remaining relevant.
s there a pop culture moment that lives rent-free in your head? Does its origin trace back to Pepsi? There’s a good chance your answer is yes.
I
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Pepsi-Cola is born! When North Carolina pharmacist Caleb Bradham develops the Pepsi cola formula in 1893, he introduces it as “Brad’s Drink.” Five years later, the carbonated beverage gets a new name to better represent its advertised purpose: relieving indigestion.
1898
Pepsi-Cola partners with race car driver Barney Oldfield, the soda’s first celebrity endorsement.
1905
Pepsi debuts what’s considered the first nationally-broadcast jingle in radio advertising, “Pepsi Cola Hits the Spot.”
1939
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1964
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1964
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Diet Pepsi hits shelves for the first time.
In 1963, Pepsi becomes an early adopter of diet soda with the launch of the brand’s first sugar-free fizzy drink, Patio Diet Cola. Thanks to a positive reception, the brand renames the successful soft drink to Diet Pepsi a year later.
1963
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Diet Pepsi hits shelves for the first time.
1963
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1970
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1970
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1972
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1972
1975
Pepsi brings NFL quarterbacks Joe Montana and Dan Marino together for a Diet Pepsi ad.
1985
Tina Turner and David Bowie dance it out in “The Choice of a New Generation” campaign.
1987
Supermodel Cindy Crawford subverts the mundanity of pumping gas and drinking soda in the newest Pepsi ad, which airs at the 1992 Super Bowl.
1992
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Crystal Pepsi enters — then promptly leaves — the chat. A little over a year after its introduction, Crystal Pepsi disappears from shelves. In 2015, a petition with almost 40,000 fan signatures demands the soft drink’s return, and Pepsi releases the cult-favorite soda for a limited time.
1992
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1992
Grab an ice-cold
Big Slam! NBA star Shaquille O'Neal introduces the new one-liter bottle.
1994
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1997
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1997
Thanks to Joan Crawford, Pepsi-Cola sponsors "It's a Small World," an exhibit at the 1964 World’s Fair. As a board member, Crawford – the actress and widow of Pepsi-Cola’s late CEO Alfred Steele – asks Walt Disney to design a pavilion Pepsi could sponsor for the expo. The result: an early iteration of the boat ride you can find at Disneyland today.
Pepsi designs the first two-liter soft drink bottle and changes pizza delivery orders forever. Made from glass, the two-liter containers are returnable and refillable. Pepsi bottle design virtually remains the same for decades until 2020 when Pepsi welcomes a brand-new look.
Tennis legend Althea Gibson pioneers Pepsi-Cola’s National Mobile Tennis Project to donate athletic equipment to underprivileged areas in major cities. Over a decade earlier, Gibson becomes the first African American woman to compete at the highest levels of the sport, winning a Grand Slam event, among other trailblazing accolades.
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1975
The Pepsi Challenge changes the game.
Hallie Eisenberg becomes “The Pepsi Girl” in a series of commercials where she channels the iconic voices of Joe Pesci, Aretha Franklin, and Marlon Brando.
1999
The Spice Girls debut their song “Move Over” in a new Pepsi Generation ad. Although the song is originally written as a jingle for Pepsi’s “GenerationNext” campaign, the British group put their own twist on the ditty, turning it into
a pop anthem. An extended version of the song eventually ends up on the group’s sophomore album, Spiceworld.
Britney Spears stars in one of her first Pepsi music video-style commercials, the “Joy of Cola.”
2001
Pepsi becomes the Official Soft Drink
of the NFL.
2002
Pepsi makes pop culture history with its Gladiator-style commercial featuring Britney Spears, Beyoncé, and P!nk.
2004
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A torrential downpour tries to stop Prince from his — and Pepsi’s — halftime show debut. Amid the first rainstorm to ever interfere with a Super Bowl, Prince gives an estimated 140 million viewers the 12-minute performance of a lifetime. A “Purple Rain” guitar solo in the rain? Ah, that’s history.
2007
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A torrential downpour tries to stop Prince from his — and Pepsi’s — halftime show debut.
2007
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2013
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2013
Pepsi’s decade-long association with the Super Bowl halftime show officially begins. The headliner? Beyoncé,
of course. A few months later, she teases a big announcement online.
A new album? Nope — a new Pepsi commercial! To be fair, it features a snippet of a new song.
Pepsi’s decade-long association with the Super Bowl halftime show officially begins. The headliner? Beyoncé,
of course.
Sunday Night Football returns to Cleveland, and Pepsi celebrates with a custom orange-colored cola called “Believeland.”
2019
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The star-studded “More Than OK” ad airs and addresses the exhausted question, “Is Pepsi OK?” Steve Carell, Cardi B, and Lil’ Jon team up in the 30-second Super Bowl spot to address the familiar refrain head-on.
2019
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2019
The star-studded “More Than OK” ad airs and addresses the exhausted question, “Is Pepsi OK?”
Say hello to the first-ever nitrogen-infused cola, Nitro Pepsi.
2022
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Pepsi’s final halftime show sees its first all hip-hop slate with Eminem, Snoop Dogg, Mary J. Blige, Kendrick Lamar, and Dr. Dre. After 10 years, Pepsi decides to pass the mic to the next Super Bowl sponsor. During its run, Pepsi backs an array of artists, including Lady Gaga, Coldplay, Bruno Mars, and Katy Perry, among others.
2022
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Pepsi’s final halftime show sees its first all hip-hop slate with Eminem, Snoop Dogg, Mary J. Blige, Kendrick Lamar, and Dr. Dre.
2022
The Spice Girls debut their song “Move Over” in a new Pepsi Generation ad.
Crystal Pepsi enters — then promptly leaves — the chat.
Pepsi designs the first two-liter soft drink bottle and changes pizza delivery orders forever.
Tennis legend Althea Gibson pioneers Pepsi-Cola’s National Mobile Tennis Project to donate athletic equipment to underprivileged areas in major cities.
Thanks to Joan Crawford, Pepsi-Cola sponsors "It's a Small World," an exhibit at the 1964 World’s Fair.
Pepsi-Cola is born!
2023
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Pepsi celebrates 125 years with a new visual identity. When overdue for a change, some people get a bob — Pepsi gets a new logo. While the red, white, and blue globe makes a not-so-subtle callback to the brand’s heritage and six predecessors, the bold typeface and refreshed color palette remind everyone that a new era of Pepsi is upon us.
2023
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Pepsi celebrates 125 years with a new visual identity.
The Pepsi Challenge changes the game. Pepsi introduces the blind taste test to prove that people prefer its soda over other popular cola drinks. According to competitor studies, the challenge doesn’t lie: People prefer Pepsi to its rival.
By Samantha Sasso
Pepsi-Cola is born! When North Carolina pharmacist Caleb Bradham develops the Pepsi cola formula in 1893, he introduces it as “Brad’s Drink.” Five years later, the carbonated beverage gets a new name to better represent its advertised purpose: relieving indigestion.
1898
READ More
READ LESS
Diet Pepsi hits shelves for the first time. In 1963, PepsiCo becomes an early adopter of diet soda with the launch of the brand’s first sugar-free fizzy drink, Patio Diet Cola. Thanks to a positive reception, the brand renames the successful soft drink to Diet Pepsi a year later.
1963
READ More
READ LESS
Thanks to Joan Crawford, Pepsi-Cola sponsors "It's a Small World," an exhibit at the 1964 World’s Fair. As a board member, Crawford – the actress and widow of Pepsi-Cola’s late CEO Alfred Steele – asks Walt Disney to design a pavilion Pepsi could sponsor for the expo. The result: an early iteration of the boat ride you can find at Disneyland today.
1964
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Pepsi designs the first two-liter soft drink bottle and changes pizza delivery orders forever.
1970
READ More
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Tennis legend Althea Gibson pioneers Pepsi-Cola’s National Mobile Tennis Project to donate athletic equipment to underprivileged areas in major cities. Over a decade earlier, Gibson becomes the first African American woman to compete at the highest levels of the sport, winning a Grand Slam event, among other trailblazing accolades.
1972
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READ LESS
The Pepsi Challenge changes the game.
1975
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READ LESS
Crystal Pepsi enters — then promptly leaves — the chat.
1992
READ More
READ LESS
The Spice Girls debut their song “Move Over” in a new Pepsi Generation ad. Although the song is originally written as a jingle for Pepsi’s “GenerationNext” campaign, the British group put their own twist on the ditty, turning it into a pop anthem. An extended version of the song eventually ends up on the group’s sophomore album, Spiceworld.
1997
READ More
READ LESS
A torrential downpour tries to stop Prince from his — and Pepsi’s — halftime show debut.
2007
READ More
READ LESS
Pepsi’s decade-long association with the Super Bowl halftime show officially begins. The headliner? Beyoncé, of course. A few months later, she teases a big announcement online. A new album? Nope — a new Pepsi commercial! To be fair, it features a snippet of a new song.
2013
READ More
READ LESS
The star-studded “More Than OK” ad airs and addresses the exhausted question, “Is Pepsi OK?”
2019
READ More
READ LESS
Pepsi’s final halftime show sees its first all hip-hop slate with Eminem, Snoop Dogg, Mary J. Blige, Kendrick Lamar, Dr. Dre, and 50 Cent. After 10 years, Pepsi decides to pass the mic to the next Super Bowl sponsor. During its run, Pepsi backs an array of artists, including Lady Gaga, Coldplay, Bruno Mars, and Katy Perry, among others.
2022
READ More
READ LESS
Pepsi celebrates 125 years with a new visual identity. When overdue for a change, some people get a bob — Pepsi gets a new logo. While the red, white, and blue globe makes a not-so-subtle callback to the brand’s heritage and six predecessors, the bold typeface and refreshed color palette remind everyone that a new era of Pepsi is upon us.
2023
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Art Director: Becky Joy