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You’d think that a massive soda corporation wouldn’t bother trying to appeal to food-conscious hipsters, but you’d be wrong. That’s exactly what Pepsi has done with its new soft drink, Pepsi 1893.
The “artisanal cola” is an effort to reach out to craft and small-batch-loving drinkers, people who go to places staffed by “mixologists” and they rep that hard in their first ad. The ad shows a “soda sommelier” surrounded by barrels as he walks a group of drinkers through the proper way to enjoy the drink. It’s meant as a joke, but Pepsi is talking out of both sides of their mouth with this one. You can’t poke fun and then earnestly tout your drink’s kola nut extract, “real sugar” and “aromatic bitters.”
Reaction on the new brand seems to be split. Some enjoy the fact that Pepsi is trying new things while others think 1893 simply doesn’t taste good.
Just saw the commercial for the new Pepsi 1893; dating soda like that…how freaking classy!👑🍤🍸🍷🏇. I'm 100% sold. #pepsi1893
— Ryan Griffiths (@ryanjg19) April 12, 2016
#1893cola #Pepsi1893 Great stuff! @pepsi pic.twitter.com/eSRfJEf2tP
— The Art Former (@TheArtFormer) April 14, 2016
Tastes like R/C Cola, so, not very good. #pepsi1893 pic.twitter.com/ZL5kWMF5Og
— Matt Fuller 🇺🇦 (@FreeRangeGamer) April 11, 2016
And, as always, there were mad jokes:
So, does #Pepsi1893 have whiskey in it or not? I need to know before I buy it for these kids…They told me to get #beer if it doesn't.
— Rudy (@Rudy_Standup) April 14, 2016
https://twitter.com/TweetsByCollin/status/718569413570482176
Of course, there have been craft sodas for a while now. Jones Soda and Swamp Pop have been around and, as a die-hard fan on this particular cola, I guess I have no room to judge. Still, a presence as large as Pepsi throwing in behind craft cola is bound to get people talking.
(Via Ad Age)
