Purchase, N.Y.-based PepsiCo’s Pepsi brand announced it is taking the world’s global language — emojis — offline in a visually striking and socially shareable campaign, inviting consumers to Say It With Pepsi, the company says. With more than 600 proprietary PepsiMoji designs — from over 1 billion bottles and cans to sunglasses and stadiums — in more than 100 markets, this year’s global #PepsiMoji campaign brings a provocative and fresh take on the cultural phenomenon of emojis, it adds.

Using the proprietary designs that depict both globally relevant and locally significant imagery, the immersive campaign connects cola drinkers around the world through a shared language that is uniquely and definably Pepsi, the company says. The campaign will be brought to life through a variety of elements, which include:

  • a limited-edition licensing partnership with world-renowned designer Jeremy Scott;
  • visually-arresting out-of-home elements shot by famed fashion photographer Ben Watts;
  • story-telling social imagery captured by Instagram-celeb lensman Daniel Arnold;
  • a suite of global TV and original digital creative; and
  • localized experiential content.

“The iconic Pepsi globe is synonymous with so much — adventure, excitement, fun — and, like emojis, represents a range of unlimited emotions without saying a word,” said Carla Hassan, senior vice president of global brand management for global beverage group at PepsiCo, in a statement. “The Say It With Pepsi campaign celebrates the universal connection and communication emojis provide, with our PepsiMoji language sparking unexpected conversations and action around the world this year — going beyond the expected emoji experience.”

Additionally, Pepsi will enable consumers to see the world through PepsiMoji-colored glasses in a fashion collaboration with designer Jeremy Scott, the company says. The limited-edition Pepsi X Jeremy Scott Capsule Collection includes six styles of emoji-inspired sunglasses featuring proprietary PepsiMoji designs, it adds.

Scott commented: “Pepsi has always been more than just a beverage to me — it’s an icon of pop culture. And what’s more pop culture at the moment than emojis? I’m excited to play with the unique PepsiMoji designs and showcase them in a fresh medium — sunglasses.”

To fully showcase the lively and playful nature of the PepsiMoji characters, the brand partnered with photographer Ben Watts on a series of impactful out-of-home elements, as well as Daniel Arnold, a street photographer with many Instagram followings, to share the story of #PepsiMoji in the same non-verbal vein as emojis themselves, the company says. For the out-of-home element, Watts’ photography takes on quirky twists as his real-life images collide with the light-hearted PepsiMoji characters. Arnold’s candid street shots capture witty and playful moments paired with unexpected, but complementary, PepsiMoji illustrations for a visual, compelling story that will be shared across social platforms and channels, it adds.

“I was after clean, graphic, candid photos that immediately communicated a feeling or an idea — essentially candid emojis,” Arnold said.

Communication in global TV commercials and digital content also will take place through the proprietary PepsiMoji design lens, the company says. The first in a series of digital content, “Origins” introduces how PepsiMoji first found themselves in the world and on Pepsi packaging. Following “Origins,” up to 50 sharable and topical pieces of content, no more than seven seconds each, celebrating global cultural moments and holidays will be shared throughout the campaign, it adds. Creative content “Backpackers” and “Concert Connection” premier with 30-second spots for traditional TV viewing, and versions 90 seconds or more will be featured on the digital screen. The creative storylines showcase how communicating through PepsiMoji icons can lead to unpredictable and memorable adventures, experiences and even love, it adds. 

Following release in markets including Australia, Canada, India, Mexico, Russia and Thailand, the PepsiMoji campaign will roll out around the world across the full Pepsi portfolio, including Pepsi, Pepsi MAX and Diet Pepsi/Pepsi Light, throughout 2016. Local adaptation and amplification of the program includes more than 100 five-second ads in the United States; mood vending machines in India that dispense Pepsi product adorned with the PepsiMoji design that matches a consumers’ current state of mind, an extensive local influencer engagement program across the Middle East, and cheeky online engagement in Argentina where consumers can create a personalized PepsiMoji design or use PepsiMoji accessories to fashion their selfies.

The PepsiCo Design & Innovation Center created more than 600 PepsiMoji designs for a universal language system for the brand, the company says. To experience and unleash the full range of the PepsiMoji catalogue, consumers can download the PepsiMoji Keyboard App for free on the Apple App and Google Play stores, it adds.