Pepsi marks its bold new era with an innovative collaboration with emerging designer Jackson Cowden, celebrating not only Pepsi's new identity, but the reinvention of classic fashion items and conventions, through Special PR.
In collaboration with 22-year-old emerging 'Digital Fashion Artist', the launch of the Pepsi Pulse collection showcases Pepsi's new visual identity, while challenging the status quo of traditional design.
The 10-piece bespoke collection is designed with AI first, taking inspiration from Pepsi's brand new look and refreshingly old staples such as the black dress and classic white shirt; with modernity injected through innovative AI methods.
Special PR managing director Alex Bryant said: “Finding an interesting way to celebrate the renewal of such an iconic brand was an incredible challenge for us in our first major special PR campaign for Pepsi. Taking inspiration from an industry that knows how to reinvent and update We were delighted to find a shared vision with the collection's fashion designer and creative director, Jackson Cowden.This campaign launch demonstrates how Pepsi continues to defy convention and always put enjoyment first.
Vandita Pandey, ANZ Marketing Director, Snacks Beverages at PepsiCo Australia, said: “Following 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. Since our new visual identity was bold, unapologetic, modern and iconic, we wanted to partner with a new designer who could bring a unique vision to our renovation. It was a privilege to be able to support Jackson to launch his first show.”
Using traditional methods of sketching, pattern making, and multiple rounds of samples would typically take Jackson up to nine months to complete a collection. With the young designer choosing an alternative approach to AI fashion technology, designing first in the digital world, Jackson was able to complete final designs in 40 days, minimizing waste, saving time and pushing the boundaries of fashion traditions.
Designer and Creative Director of the Jackson Cowden Collection said; “It was incredibly important for me to partner with Pepsi at this point in my career, a partnership born from our shared values around challenging the status quo, pushing the unconventional and finding bold new ways of doing things.
The Pepsi Pulse collection does exactly that and more, transcending traditional boundaries and challenging conventional norms. Pepsi's “Pulse” is an illustrative way of telling different stories for the brand, it is Pepsi's visual response to the rhythm of culture, reflecting the pulse of the worlds in which we are immersed.
In the near future, fashion designers will be increasingly attracted to digital fashion design, abandoning “preconceived rules” in creative fields. Pepsi is known for keeping the pulse of culture, and the innovative and creative way in which this collection comes to life proves it even more.”
Pepsi's Pulse Collection was launched last night in collaboration with Australia's leading event and experience creator, Rizer, which was showcased in a spectacular setting on the edge of Sydney's iconic harbour. Merging the physical and digital worlds, highlighted by an exclusive performance by superstar G Flip, with model Samantha Harris leading the runway with James Parr.
Rizer Creative Director Zoe Bailey said; “Jackson's digital design process was a great inspiration to create an unconventional runway show, with the energy of Pepsi's bold identity. Embracing the unconventional, we blurred the lines between fashion, animation, lighting, sound, dance and performance, all in one story.”
The track was also streamed live via oOh!media's flagship full motion site at The Bourke in Melbourne. In a first for oOh!media's creative and innovation hub, POLY, they managed end-to-end production from broadcast to delivery.
The Pepsi Pulse Runway Collection is being rolled out across experiential, earned, social and OOH.