Pepsi’s new Strawberries ‘N’ Cream and Cream Soda is ‘1% sweeter than a Pomeranian puppy’, according to its latest integrated marketing campaign that uses AI to quantify sweetness. 

The light-hearted, tech-fuelled campaign makes use of a bespoke AI tool designed to quantify sweetness. The campaign titled, ‘The Sweetest’, uses the tool to compare Pepsi’s new zero sugar flavours against some of the sweetest everyday items. 

The AI tool has been created to identify and rate how ‘sweet’ an object is. It uses AI models, image recognition and data analysis to define something’s sweetness, giving it a rating. The rating takes into account traditional definitions of sweetness, based on physical factors like colour, visual softness, common perception or literal sweetness in the case of food. The tool also understands figurative sweetness, such as pleasant emotions, factoring that in on top of literal sweetness.

Pepsi has used this tool at the heart of its campaign to test its two new zero sugar flavours. With the help of AI and science, the campaign is able to place the sweetness of the new drinks on a scale, comparing them to the likes of puppy dogs, people and things like a heartfelt text from grandma.

Using the results, the campaign is made up of a series of creative executions that play with the data. Out of home, video and social activations make use of creative copy and imagery centered around the following results: “1% sweeter than a Pomeranian puppy”, “8% sweeter than this cute potato” and “Almost as sweet as a text from your grandma”.

Playing into the ‘little sweet treat’ trend that has been growing in popularity amongst Gen Z, Pepsi is inviting the audience to play along and determine ‘What’s Sweeter?’

"We wanted to create something as sweet as the product itself, but also cool and culturally relevant. That's why we clashed the seriousness of science and AI with sweet and sometimes trivial topics - and this experiment created the perfect amount of wonderful absurdity to deliver the indulgence of the flavours in a completely unexpected way," says Matthew Watson, Chief Creative Officer for Sips & Bites Europe, PepsiCo.

A free experiential activity will also launch in Central London between Thursday 17th and Sunday 20th April which takes the form of a multi-sensory pop up where soda lovers (16+) can embrace their sweet side in a vibrant experience. Attendees will have the chance to win unique sweet prizes in the ‘Sweet Arcade’ and sample the zero sugar Strawberries 'N' Cream and Cream Soda flavours at the guilt-free drink dessert bar. 

PR for the campaign is being handled by Hope and Glory.

Combining technology with unexpected social media trends to engage real world audiences, the campaign brings to life the power of AI-enabled creativity.