I’m Sick Of Bitching About Pepsi’s Brand. Here’s An Idea Instead.
I have an idea for the Pepsi brand inspired, ironically, by my frustration surrounding the Pepsi brand. You might call me a “Pepsi Bully” if you read even half of my articles I’ve written over the last decade about the company’s consistent lack of a brand idea, lack of relevance, and their shockingly superficial attempts to be cool. Here are just a few of my Pepsi rants over the years:
Forbes (2012): Pepsi Next. The Name That Says Not Now.
Forbes (2016): PepsiMojis Campaign Takes Giant Leap Into The Superficial (the video was taken down, but the article is still there)
This blog (2023): Let's Call It More "Empty Can" Advertising From Pepsi
There are more, but that’s a decent sample. Pepsi is a brand, like Burger King, that has frustrated me not because of the product—I actually like Pepsi and BK Whoppers. It’s because of their lack of a central brand idea or any semblance of authenticity.
But then I learned something about Pepsi. Something interesting. Something authentic. Something original. And it gave me an idea.
Did you know Pepsi was originally called “Brad’s Drink”?
I stumbled upon this fact while rifling through an advertising subreddit. Did a little digging and it’s true. According to an official website of North Carolina, Brad’s Drink became Pepsi-Cola in 1898. From this report:
Beginning in 1893, New Bern pharmacist Caleb Bradham developed and began serving a carbonated drink he called “Brad’s Drink.” He served the beverage from the soda fountain in his pharmacy at the corner of Pollock and Middle Streets.
As a pharmacist who had undergone some medical training, Bradham believed in the health, energy and digestive benefits of his sweet and bubbly brew, which originally included the enzyme pepsin and the cola nut. It is likely that these ingredients resulted in the renaming of the drink, although at some point pepsin was removed from the formula.
After the renaming, Bradham managed to purchase the trade name “Pep Cola” from a New Jersey company and, in 1902, he incorporated the Pepsi-Cola Company under North Carolina law. Shortly thereafter he registered a patent for the formula.
So a couple things about this amazing story.
One, I had no idea Pepsi was that old. NO IDEA! Maybe if the brand wasn’t constantly chasing trends and buying relevance, I might have known it’s one of America’s oldest brands (not as old as Coca Cola, but still impressive).
Two, we can pinpoint the location of the very first place Brad’s Drink was sold—the corner of Pollock and Middle Streets. The photo at the top of all the men enjoying their Brad Drinks was from this place.
Three, and implicit but still important, we know the guy who invented the first form of Pepsi, Caleb Bradham.
Such a treasure-trove of authenticity. A marketer’s field day. And an origin story utterly ignored. Which brings me to my idea.
Idea: Pepsi introduces new soda called “Brad’s Drink”
Brad’s Drink. The Original Pepsi.
This new product could be a temporary issuance or even an annual holiday soda like my friends at FX Saranac Beer invented with their “Season’s Best” annual beers in the early 1980s. Or maybe it’s a permanent installment in the Pepsi portfolio of products. That’s for Pepsi to decide. But think about what a product like this would do for the Pepsi brand.
The knowledge of the existence of “Brad’s Drink” invented in 1898 and re-issued in 2024 in commemorative fashion would communicate volumes about Pepsi. In fact, the existence of this one can of soda would communicate all the things I was surprised to learn this morning: there’s a founder, the brand is really old, and Pepsi has an origin story. Think of the copy you could write on the side of the can and the antique black-and-white label/design. Maybe even use that beautiful old image of the men enjoying Brad’s Drink at the pharmacy. This one can of soda called “Brad’s Drink, The Original Pepsi.” would immediately inject brand authenticity into all of Pepsi’s other named products. Suddenly those products would come from a real, respectable place, and not from a trend-chasing Coke-wannabe.
Pepsi Store where Brad’s Drink was invented
I personally think a brand called “Brad’s Drink” would sell. It’s a quirky name and begs the question, “Who’s Brad?” That’s what you want. People talking about the long history of Pepsi. But even if it didn’t sell well, it’s still worth it because of its brand-transformational powers. Think of it as an ad campaign that people will pay for.
What encourages me is that Pepsi does at least acknowledge this origin story on its Pepsi Store website. It appears they still own that location on the corner of Pollock and Middle Streets and it’s now a physical Pepsi Store. They even have a tee shirt commemorating “Brad’s Drink.” But no one knows about any of this. Come out with a “Brad’s Drink” soda and everyone will be talking about it.
Pepsi, if you like this idea, it’s yours free. Then, if you’d like me and my Ideasicle Experts to further flesh it out with more ideas, just say the word (www.ideasiclex.com). You could say I’m motivated to help you.
Because, from a branding standpoint, chasing trends lasts as long as the trends you chase. But an origin story is forever.
Will Burns is the Founder & CEO of the revolutionary virtual-idea-generating company, Ideasicle X. He’s an advertising veteran from such agencies as Wieden & Kennedy, Goodby Silverstein, Arnold Worldwide, and Mullen. He was a Forbes Contributor for nine years writing about creativity in modern branding. Sign up for the Ideasicle Newsletter and never miss a post like this.