Montréal, June 12, 2009 – On June 12, 1934, the first bottle of Pepsi-Cola produced outside of the United States rolled off the production line on rue De Fleurimont in Montréal. Today, June 12, 2009, Pepsi marks the launch of its 75th anniversary celebrations in Québec with the announcement of a major $40 million investment in its Montréal facilities, the introduction of a new advertising campaign that is exclusive to Québec, and a brand new logo. Pepsi will also take advantage of this opportunity to highlight the exceptional quality of its 25-year  partnership with Claude Meunier.

According to Sylvain Charbonneau, Vice-President and General Manager, Quebec, The Pepsi Bottling Group: “These investments in our Montréal production facilities and in a major marketing campaign that is exclusive to Québec demonstrate Pepsi’s commitment to Québec and the significant role that it plays in our strategic planning efforts. One of the reasons we are so successful in Quebec is because we recognize and embrace Quebec’s unique culture – we have been part of the cultural fabric from the very beginning. We have built our brand strategy based on Quebec consumer insights that have ensured we stay relevant to this important market.”

“As for the new Pepsi logo, it is in keeping with our global strategy to refresh a brand that Quebecers have loved for 75 years. The brand new Pepsi advertising campaign that will be aired starting today stays true to our commitment to recognize Quebecers’ unique heritage, and our ad will reflect this,” explains Charbonneau.

In addition to the new ad campaign, Pepsi will also execute a fresh new marketing campaign in Quebec, which will include billboard advertising, a digital campaign, sampling and consumer interaction at key consumer events, and a grassroots program featuring “two guys” who will spread joy across Quebec.

Pepsi’s exceptional 25-year partnership with Claude Meunier is another reason  the brand has enjoyed so much success in Québec. A very well respected spokesperson, Meunier was associated with the Pepsi brand from 1984 to 2002, and with the Diet Pepsi brand since 2003.

The brand new Pepsi advertisement that was created by the ad agency BBDO Montreal to commemorate Pepsi's 75 years in Québec presents a humorous approach to major events that have taken place in Québec over the past 75 years, intertwined with key moments in the history of Pepsi in the province, including a brief reference to Meunier’s infamous ‘hockey player’ character.

During the course of his partnership with the Pepsi brand, Meunier has created many characters that have marked the history of advertising in Québec. These characters include Ti-Guy Le Bœuf, a hockey fan who even meets Linel Duval in a memorable advertisement; Van Alain, a colourful disco character; and Sylvain Saguenay, a much-loved and zany fisherman.

Pepsi Refreshes its Look to Appeal to the Next Generation of Consumers as Iconic Brand Turns 75 Years Young

New Look, New Logo, New Everything

Mississauga, ON (May 26, 2009) - The joy of PEPSI^™ is about to spread across this country like never before as the iconic cola brand refreshes its look and embarks on a bold, new marketing strategy just as it turns 75 years young in Canada.

Pepsi, Diet Pepsi and Pepsi MAX cans and bottles that look markedly different than those that have gone before them are currently making their way to store shelves across Canada as part of a business strategy to revitalize PepsiCo Beverages Canada’s carbonated soft drink business.

Along with the new look will be a high-impact, multi-tiered marketing campaign designed to unite Pepsi with like-minded positive thinkers. The campaign will reach consumers at all touch-points of their lives – on TV, on billboards, on public transit, online, in social media, in-store, and at the grassroots level through major consumer events coast-to-coast.

“This is part of a global strategy to refresh a brand that Canadians have been loving for 75 years,” said Cheryl Radisa, Vice President, Consumer Marketing, PepsiCo Beverages Canada. “The insight behind the strategy is that a can or bottle of Pepsi, by its very nature, is contained joy. When it’s cracked open, the joy spreads. And so it makes perfect sense for our marketing campaign to take the joy of Pepsi into the very fabric of Canadian pop culture and share it with positive-minded consumers in new and innovative ways. Pepsi has always been fueled by the spirit and optimism of youth, it's time to refresh our brand for the next generation of Pepsi drinkers.”

The national marketing campaign will centre around the concept of spreading joy and optimism. Pepsi will invite consumers to experience and spread joy in their own way – whether it’s flipping a photo of their smile for others to see, uploading a video of their favourite moment of joy, seeing a simple message of optimism on a massive billboard, or engaging with Pepsi to uncover and share joyous moments at mass consumer events this summer.

In Quebec, where the first bottle of Pepsi rolled off the production line 75 years ago on June 12, 1934, Pepsi will customize the marketing campaign in recognition of Quebec’s unique culture, as it has done for many years. The 100% made-in-Quebec campaign will celebrate Pepsi’s unique history and bond with Quebec.

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