Pepsi Proves That 1 of the Most Popular Bar Calls Has Gotten It Wrong, as Rum Goes Better with Pepsi

For over 100 years, rum and cola has been one of the most popular cocktails in the world, delighting fans everywhere with the spicy notes of rum and sweet delightful fizz of cola. Somewhere along the way, people mistakenly began ordering rum with the other cola, causing them to miss out on the optimal experience for tasting the cocktail.

Today, ahead of National Rum Month, Pepsi proudly raises a glass to its bold future and invites consumers to elevate their cocktail game by experiencing how rum is #BetterWithPepsi. Whether slow sipping to stay cool beachside, toasting to friends new and old at the bar or just enjoying the company of family and friends at home, one thing is clear no matter where you find yourself, Pepsi enhances the taste of rum. But don't just take it from us: in a recent consumer preference study, 56% of participants enjoyed mixing their spiced rum with Pepsi compared to Coke.

"Rum tends to evoke warm, sweet flavours reminiscent of caramel and vanilla, a result of the oak barrel ageing progress," explained chef Kyle Shadix, CRC, MS, RD, renowned former Chopped contestant, and PepsiCo's Corporate executive research chef for Global Beverages. "The crisp, sweet and citrusy notes in Pepsi bring perfect balance to the warm spice notes of rum, like cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves, creating a smooth, well rounded taste profile for a perfect summer cocktail!"

Rum has always been Better With Pepsi, and the proof is in the logos! Hidden in plain sight, once a bottle of rum has sat in an ice water cooler and the label gets wet and crinkles, the Pepsi Globe exists within the logos of some of the world's most popular rum brands. To properly "cheers" to the logo that has always been in the picture, Pepsi is proving it's the superior cola to pair with rum ahead of August, National Rum Month, and when Pepsi will retire its current logo and celebrate the brand's 125th birthday. For consumers who want to try the delicious Rum and Pepsi pairing for themselves, the brand is offering up to $5 off Drizly orders for those who purchase any Pepsi product alongside their favourite rum.

Fans can get $0 Delivery of $5 off your order, courtesy of Drizly, with the code #BetterWithPepsi July 27th at 12 a.m. ET through August 17th at 11:59 p.m. ET. 

"For far too long people have gotten the bar call wrong when ordering the world's most popular rum cocktail – quite often people order 'rum and Coke' out of conformity vs. taste preference, as our data shows that people actually prefer the taste of 'rum and Pepsi," said Todd Kaplan, chief marketing officer – Pepsi. "We have known for years that the sweet and delicious taste profile of Pepsi pairs perfectly with the taste of rum, so we wanted to give people the opportunity to finally get it right by comping their Pepsi whenever they order rum in celebration of National Rum Month. By revealing the fact that our logo is already hidden within some of the most iconic rum brands was a fun way to bring this truth to life - after all, while Pepsi may not always be behind the bar, it should always be in the picture!"

Rum and Pepsi will be supported by a robust media buy including key print publications and a variety of out-of-home throughout Atlanta, Los Angeles, Miami and New Orleans and New York City in addition to social media platforms and search engine optimization.

The #BetterWithPepsi Creative Campaign

Rum and Pepsi is the latest iteration of the brand's #BetterWithPepsi creative campaign, launched in 2021 with the award winning #BetterWithPepsi Burgers campaign and extended into Pizza in 2022 and Hot Dogs last month. Better With Pepsi is more than a tagline for the brand; it's an unapologetic reinforcement of how consumers enjoy Pepsi every day with their favourite foods.