Kimberly Scott Is Redefining ‘Purpose’ for PepsiCo Foods Brands in 2025

Make no mistake: Reports of purpose’s decline have been greatly exaggerated. But at the outset of a new year, it feels as though purpose-driven marketing is at an inflection point. Campaigns hooked around the idea of socially conscious causes were all the rage only a few years ago, whereas in more recent times the focus has shifted as devices like humour have drifted back into fashion. 

Yet the idea that brands have somehow become less ‘purposeful’ in their communications is entirely misleading. Instead, the concept of purpose is evolving - as it always has done - into something that’s persuasive, relevant, and moves the dial in 2025 and beyond. 

That’s the impression that I get from speaking with Kimberly Scott, senior director of marketing at PepsiCo Foods North America. “I think the fact that the word continues to evolve in its definition is really interesting,” she says. “It’s a living, breathing concept because of what it needs to accomplish.” 

In broad brushstrokes, Kimberly sees ‘purpose’ as a means to help a brand’s consumers and fans feel something positive about where they’re spending their money. In that sense it’s a marketing tool as old as time - selling a brand by selling an idea. “It moves people, whether that’s moving them to action, to consider things differently, or to tap into an emotional moment,” she notes. 

But more specifically, modern purpose is in the middle of a shift. “What it’s evolving into now is something that goes beyond the traditional ‘cause marketing’ or activism structures that it’s been commonly associated with in recent years,” continues Kimberly. “What’s happening now is that the savviness of consumers is making them crave brands that bring them purposeful work - work that means something to them, that moves them.” 

Fundamentally, that’s why Kimberly still has such a belief in purposeful work - albeit, perhaps not as it may have come to be commonly understood. At one point in our interview, I point out that, to some marketers, ‘purpose’ has become a bit of a dirty word. “I can understand why they might think that,” she says, “but I think differently. I still see so many briefs coming through that may not be explicitly asking for purpose, and yet they have purpose deeply embedded into them. For that reason, I still think that purpose is one of the richest territories in marketing.” 

Marketing that moves people is never going to be unattractive to a brand. “Purpose is only a dirty word when it’s stale in concept and unoriginal in execution,” adds Kimberly. “But you can say that about anything - that goes for AI, creativity, or using data. If you’re constantly sharpening your skills and listening to your consumers, you’ll know that human beings want to connect with brands. It’s just up to us to make that connection happen. 

Finding a New Purpose

To get a sense of how this modern manifestation of purpose is taking shape, it’s worth taking a closer look at some of the recent work coming out of PepsiCo Foods. In August last year, for instance, the team pulled off an out-of-this-world stunt by sending a limited-edition packet of Doritos into space. That’s not what one might traditionally expect from purpose-driven marketing but, as Kimberly goes on to explain, the idea was fundamentally purposeful. 

“What I love about that program is how it tapped into the aspirations, fandom, and excitement around space travel. The literal ‘out-of-this-world’ nature of it is still mind-blowing to me,” she says. “What made it so special is how every idea stemmed from thinking about impact. From a PR and earned media perspective, we worked with our partners at Ketchum to prioritise journalists who specialise in space, science, and missions, ensuring we started with voices who truly understood and valued the subject.” 

Tellingly, the campaign was also underpinned by a collaboration with the children’s hospital St Jude. Donations to the hospital were linked to an opportunity to win space mission-themed Doritos. “Every view, watch, and engagement with the program directly contributed to more donations for St. Jude and their mission here on Earth,” notes Kimberly. 

Another example of purposeful marketing in practice was Megan Thee Stallion’s collaboration with Flamin’ Hot Cheetos, in which the star helped students from her alma mater Texas Southern University (TSU) overcome student debt. “We said FU to student debt, transforming the lives of seniors while leaning into homecoming culture,” recalls Kimberly. “We brought Megan to campus and made the program authentically reflect HBCU culture and swag. It was incredible. The director for the content was a Houston native who knows Megan well and has worked with her before, which made it even more special.”

It’s another example of how purpose can help a brand embody a value that its consumers want to see in the world. “With Doritos it was about bold change, bold purpose, and bold activity, whereas with Flamin’ Hot it was about bringing some swagger to things, owning individuality and sharing a taste of that ‘I don’t give a f***’ mentality,” explains Kimberly. “It always comes back to making the consumer feel like these campaigns matter to them, that they resonate on a personal level. That drives loyalty, and loyalty ultimately drives profitability.”

So at its core, it’s an approach to marketing that prioritises values - feeding into consumers’ own ideas about the better parts of themselves, and fuelling their aspirations. And at the same time, we’re at a moment in broader culture where people from all backgrounds and demographics feel that their values aren’t quite reflected in the world they see around them. 

“I’d agree with that,” says Kimberly, “and that’s why purpose-driven marketing is still so impactful. The data supports this, showing that today’s consumers - especially the future majority consumer base, gen z - feel underrepresented. But it’s not just about one generation. It’s about the type of consumer we’ll have in the next 10 to 20 years, across all demographics.”

There’s an intrinsic and obvious logic behind all of this. Specifically, that we are all looking for meaning, and for the values we hold to be reflected in the world around us. That could connect to a socially conscious brand campaign which directly instigates some good in the world - or it could simply be feeding off the energy that comes from confidence and swagger. And that’s the space in which purpose-driven marketing has always thrived.