Pepsi marks a new era by partnering with emerging designer Jackson Cowden to both celebrate its new identity, and also the reinvention of classic fashion items and conventions, via Special PR.
The bespoke 10-piece strong collection is designed distinctly AI first, taking inspiration from Pepsi’s new brand look and refreshing old 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 us in our first major campaign 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. This campaign launch demonstrates how Pepsi continues to challenge conventions, pushes the boundaries, and always puts enjoyment first.”
Vandita Pandey, Chief Marketing Officer ANZ, Snacks Beverages at PepsiCo Australia said; “Following on from 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. 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.”
Using traditional design methods of sketching, pattern making, and multiple sample rounds would normally take Cowden 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, Cowden 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 me to partner with Pepsi at this point in my 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.
“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 on Wednesday night, in partnership with Australia’s leading event and experience creator Rizer, showcased on the edge of Sydney’s iconic harbour.
Rizer Creative Director, Zoe Bailey said; “Jackson’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.”
The runway was also live-streamed via oOh!media’s iconic 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.
