Pepsi celebrates unapologetic locals for doing their “New York Thing”

Pepsi honours its New York roots by featuring real New Yorkers in its newest campaign and encouraging people to nominate the deserving locals they know to get US$10K

The only thing more iconic than New York City’s landmarks is its people. From subway performers to bodega owners, fledging artists to creative masterminds, New York City has no shortage of diverse talent and passions. To celebrate these diverse passions, Pepsi is bringing nine locals representing all five Boroughs front and centre to be the face of its newly launched summer campaign, “Pepsi. It’s a New York Thing.,” and giving them each US$10K/£7.2K to continue unapologetically embodying the true character of the city that never sleeps.

The brand is also inviting New Yorkers to nominate six more locals to get their own shot at US$10K/£7.2K in support of their passion, for a total of US$150K/£108K going to the City’s own.

“Pepsi is an unapologetic brand and a New York company through and through, from our headquarters location to our place on the city skyline, and we want Pepsi engrained within NYC culture,” said Umi Patel, CMO of North Division, PepsiCo Beverages North America.

“This campaign is about continuing to show our pride and support for New York City, our home for decades, and celebrating the people whose diversity, unique energy and unapologetic enjoyment for their passions make it one of the best places in the world. Like these passionate locals, Pepsi is ‘a New York thing.'”

The work is part of a larger 360 campaign that will feature the locals across billboards and digital content, and comes off the back of the brand’s latest custom product packaging just for New York City, featuring the City’s most recognisable landmarks including the Brooklyn Bridge, Times Square, and a shout-out to the classic NYC hot dog vendor.

The product is available now in 20oz. and 1.25-litre bottles of Pepsi, Pepsi Zero Sugar and Diet Pepsi across the city at local bodegas, corner delis, neighbourhood grocers, and larger regional supermarkets.

Spanning all five Boroughs and representing performers, artists, entrepreneurs and more, the New Yorkers featured in the campaign include Kwame ‘Hass’ Thimbiano, Tariq Zaid, Natalia “Saw Lady” Paruz, Andrew Ousley, Pixie Aventura, Blu deTiger, Shealyn Brand, Ahmed Alwan, and Caitlin Doyle.

Fans can nominate the people they know to be one of the six winners by going on social media, using both the hashtags #PepsiNYCLocal and #Contest and tagging @Pepsi, and telling everyone why the nominee should be the next local that Pepsi honours.