Pepsi marks a new era with a partnership with emerging designer Jackson Cowden, celebrating not only Pepsi’s new identity, but the reinvention of classic fashion items and conventions.
In partnership with 22-year-old emerging ‘Digital Fashion Artist’, the launch of the Pepsi Pulse Collection showcases Pepsi’s new visual identity,.
The 10 piece collection is designed distinctly AI first, taking inspiration from Pepsi’s new brand look and familiar staples such as the little black dress and the classic white shirt; with modernity injected through innovative AI methods.
Special PR managing director Alex Bryant said finding an interesting way to celebrate such an iconic brand’s refresh was an amazing challenge for the agency in its 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," said Bryant.
"This campaign launch demonstrates how Pepsi continues to challenge conventions, pushes the boundaries, and always puts enjoyment first.”
PepsiCo Australia CMO ANZ, snacks beverages, Vandita Pandey said the brand wanted its local launch to feel relevant to its 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," said Pandey.
Using traditional design methods of sketching, pattern making and multiple sample rounds would normally take Jackson 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, Jackson was able to complete the final designs in 40 days, minimising waste, saving time, and pushing the boundaries of fashion traditions.
Designer and creative director for the collection, Cowden said it’s been incredibly significant for him to partner with Pepsi at this point in his 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," said Cowden.
"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 Australian event and experience creator Rizer, showcased in a spectacular setting on the edge of Sydney’s harbour.
Fusing the physical and digital worlds, underscored by an exclusive performance from homegrown singer G Flip, with model Samantha Harris leading the runway with James Parr.
Rizer creative director Zoe Bailey said Cowden'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," said Bailey.
The runway was also live-streamed via oOh!media’s full motion site in The Bourke in Melbourne. In a first for oOh!media’s innovation and creative hub, POLY, they managed the end to end production from broadcast to delivery.
The Pepsi Pulse Runway Collection is rolling out across experiential, earned, social and OOH.
Credits:
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
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