Pepsi^® steps into a dynamic new era with a new look and exciting culture-first experiences across sports and music

Pepsi^®‘s new look takes flight worldwide, taking over iconic global locations as its first major global redesign in fourteen years was unleashed across over 120 markets. To mark the moment, digital installations – each featuring the re-designed and refreshed Pepsi^® globe logo – rose above landmarks worldwide for a digital showcase of Pepsi^®‘s new visual identity in a blaze of pulsing electric blue and black, carrying the brand into its new era.

In London, a Pepsi digital installation appeared beside The O2 arena in the east of the city, appropriate to the brand’s long and storied support of international music acts. The view from the nearby cable cars saw an inflatable Pepsi can rise from the water, shortly followed by a light show of drones forming a pulsating dynamic composition in the sky.

A hot air assembly, forming a giant Pepsi logo, took over skylines in Warsaw, Poland and Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam, each comprised of over 70 balloons.

Elsewhere worldwide, Pepsi put on vast shows in AlUla in Saudi Arabia, on the Nile in Egypt and Ain Dubai, each harnessing innovative technology – giving consumers cutting-edge experiences to discover. Meanwhile, the Gaddafi Cricket Stadium in Pakistan saw a giant Pepsi can land mid-game, to the audible delight of the onlooking crowd.

The new logo thoughtfully borrows equity from Pepsi’s past whilst incorporating modern elements to create a look that is unapologetically current and undeniably Pepsi. The updated colour palette introduces electric blue and black to bring a contemporary edge to the classic Pepsi colour scheme, whilst the signature Pepsi pulse evokes the “ripple, pop and fizz” of Pepsi-Cola – moving in time to the beat of the music, the roar of the crowd, the heartbeat of culture. The logo was first unveiled in the US and is now launching in over 120 countries worldwide through various consumer touchpoints – spanning digital, experiential and retail.

The international takeover marks the first step in Pepsi’s new, bold era across design, storytelling, and partnerships. Pepsi will continue to drive culture forward in 2024 by delivering one-of-a-kind experiences, all deeply connected to fan passions and desire to live “Thirsty for More”, the brand’s philosophy, which champions anyone who challenges conventions in pursuit of enjoyment, whilst celebrating people’s thirst for the unexpected and eagerness to discover, experience and do more.

Eric Melis, VP, Global Brand Marketing, Carbonated Soft Drinks at PepsiCo, said: “We wanted to show how Pepsi, through this visual identity change, brings to life its brand platform “Thirsty for More”, which is the attitude and mindset our target audience has of always trying new things and living new experiences. What better way to showcase the brand’s transformation than through these iconic installations. We’ve always been a bold brand that challenges conventions, challenges the status quo and always puts enjoyment first. Our new visual identity is bold, unapologetic, modern, and iconic. Our fans can expect the same great taste they’ve come to love with even more of the immersive and entertaining experiences we’re known for across music, sport and culture.

“People worldwide were asked to draw the Pepsi logo as part of the design process and the majority included the Pepsi name as part of our globe – remarkable given that the name and the globe have been separated for the past fourteen years. When we reviewed our new look, we responded to that deep love of our history and tapped into that nostalgia with a firmly modern twist.”

“We have an exciting 2024 ahead of us with our next stop bringing awe-inspiring entertainment to the UEFA Champions League Final Kick Off Show in June in Wembley and more.”

Pepsi continues to move at the speed of culture, delivering on what people are thirsty for – innovative products and iconic collaborations. In 2024, fans globally can expect to see more from Pepsi’s existing partnerships with ambassadors, including Baby Monster (Asia–Pacific), Uraz Kaygilaroglu (Turkey), G.E.M., Dylan Wang and Leo Wu (China).

As a champion of those who like to step out of their comfort zone and enjoy more of what they really like, Pepsi fans across the globe are urged to keep their eyes peeled for more unforgettable experiences that will land later this year.

Consumer fears over climate change have escalated around the globe over the last year. According to new research from the 2022 Mintel Consulting Sustainability Barometer, the number of global consumers citing climate change as a top three environmental concern has risen from an average of 39 % to 46 % between 2021-22^*.

In addition to climate change, concern over water shortages (up from 27 % in 2021 to 31 % in 2022) and food shortages (up from 17 % to 23 %) have made the most significant gains in terms of environmental priorities in the past 12 months as extreme weather events and the conflict in Ukraine make these troubling realities more commonplace.

Climate change remains the world’s highest environmental priority with nearly half (46 %) of consumers globally citing it among their top three concerns. Air quality (eg exhaust fumes, industrial emissions) (36 %) and plastic pollution (eg ocean plastic) (33 %) complete the world’s top three environmental concerns; however, concerns about plastic pollution are down slightly from 36 % in 2021.

Growing awareness is evident as just under three in five (58 %) consumers globally agree that extreme weather events (eg flooding, heatwaves) in the country where they live encourage them to personally do more activities to protect the environment. And it seems helping the planet brings with it a feel-good factor as an overwhelming 68 % of consumers globally say doing things that benefit the environment makes them feel happy. While 38 % say they want to show other people how they are doing good for the environment (eg by sharing on social media). A further 24 % say they have researched their annual carbon footprint (eg with an online calculator or app).

While environmental priorities have shifted in the last year, consumers’ sustainable behaviours remain focused on simplicity and frugality: recycling packaging (59 % in 2022 v 60 % in 2021), meal planning to avoid food waste (53 % in 2022 v 52 % in 2021) and reducing clothes buying (50 % in 2022 v 52 % in 2021) remain the top global sustainable behaviours 2022-2021. Furthermore, global consumers’ optimism has stalled with 55 % believing that if we act now, we still have time to save the planet, compared to 54 % who said the same last year.

The second annual Mintel Consulting Sustainability Barometer features research and insight on consumers’ sustainability attitudes, behaviours and purchase preferences across 16 countries^*. It offers recommendations for companies and brands based on best-in-class innovations, communications and campaigns.

Richard Cope, Senior Trends Consultant, Mintel Consulting, said: “The fact that concerns around climate change and water and food shortages are being prioritised ahead of previous preoccupations with waste and plastic pollution points towards the emergence of a more informed and hardened global consumer. Soaring temperatures, extreme weather events and disruptions to food, water and energy supply chains have given consumers a harsh reality check, hurting their health and wallets, and activating them in the process.

“In the meantime, escalating activism, regulatory reaction and the sheer scale of the challenges ahead and solutions required have educated global consumers enough to sniff out greenwashing campaigns and there’s no going back from that. This means companies will increasingly need to assert—and clearly communicate—the truly impactful actions they are taking to reduce emissions, rather than simply offset them or dip their toes into populist ‘plastic free’ campaigns. This growing awareness around resource inputs and emission and waste outputs will also spell the end for ‘environmentally friendly’ as a credible marketing term.

“Our research shows that the majority of consumers continue to see recycling and mitigating waste as important sustainable behaviours. This tells us that simple, frugal behaviours are the most popular among consumers which underlines the fact that brands’ sustainability initiatives need to deliver on value and convenience. Looking ahead to 2023, expect to see resource (food, water, money) conservation ascend further up the agenda and the use of economising technology refurbishers and urban peer access sharing economies to grow. For consumers, the connections between saving the environment, its resources and their money will strengthen.”

^*1,000 internet users aged 16/18+ across 16 countries were surveyed in April 2022: Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, South Korea, Spain, Thailand, UK, US; 500 internet users aged 16/18+ across 16 countries were surveyed in March 2021 with Indonesia and Mexico replaced by Poland and Ireland.

By Dr. Chris Owens, Lead Plant Breeder at IFG

Climate change has been affecting many different regions around the globe for decades, and the shift in weather is impacting fruit production. Areas that are being impacted most severely have historically seen significant effects from climate change. However, there are other areas also being affected, such as the northwestern United States and Western Canada with this year’s unprecedented heat. There have also been severe wildfires in many regions, threatening entire fields of crops.

The regions facing the most issues right now are those that are already battling heat and drought. Some areas in Europe have begun moving wine grape vineyards further north or to a higher elevation, adjusting to the planet’s changing climate. Table grapes themselves are more heat tolerant, and IFG’s breeding program has used the most recent heatwave to screen our varieties for heat tolerance. However, there is still a maximum amount of heat that fruit can tolerate, and as climate change continues to alter the environment, it will affect global agriculture and food production.

Climate change and its impact on the agricultural industry and global food production

Climate change is the shift of average weather conditions over time and has been chiefly caused by human activity. The increase of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere allows for more of the sun’s rays to pass through the atmosphere, increasing the temperature on the planet. The result of these shifts can be severe or extreme weather events, such as more frequent and intense storms, flooding, scorching heat waves, freezing cold snaps, wildfires, and water shortages. Growers are witnessing their entire fields of crops damaged in one swoop.

Climate change has a direct impact on our global food supply. Changes in the weather affect the locations where products can be grown, thereby impacting the capacity for farmers to produce the food necessary to feed the world’s population. Fruits and vegetables are living organisms that respond to warm and cold temperature changes. Anything that will make significant changes to the environment will have considerable impacts on agriculture.

What fruit scientists, horticulturists, and growers are doing differently

From breeding to growing to packing, each area has different courses to cope with climate change. On the breeding side, efforts are being made to develop varieties that can tolerate rain and heat to varying stages of the production cycle. IFG is working on this for our table grape and cherry crops, and other fruit breeders are working on the same for crops such as apples and pears.

Growers are also implementing new irrigation system technology to be more efficient while protecting their crops from the rapidly changing environment. They are utilizing soil humidity sensors, reflective covers to reduce water evaporation, shade nets to protect the crops from excessive sun exposure, and even rain covers to protect the fruit from rainstorms. These efforts may be enough to protect against hot or cold temperatures or drought; however, they will not save crops from being destroyed by extreme weather events such as wildfires, storms, or floods.

Predicting the future of fruit production

Due to climate change and recent developments in fruit-breeding programs, farmers are avoiding planting in higher-risk areas. The industry is seeing increasing growth of planting in regions where certain fruit varieties were not grown in the past. Jalisco in Mexico or Piura in Peru are examples of developing table grape regions. This change in geography is also evident in other crops, such as blueberries and cherries, with the recent introduction of low-chill varieties. Growers will undertake the enormous task of moving their fruit to new areas if the heat or drought is too difficult for production. Conversely, suppose the land cannot provide the necessary chill requirements or secure water supply. In that case, we can expect growers to move to untraditional growing areas, as evident in the regions where IFG’s cherry varieties are currently being grown.

Climate change is at the forefront of many conversations in agriculture, which is why IFG does the work we do: breeding new varieties of fruit that will grow in warmer climates with less water requirements. As the planet changes, there is the possibility that we will see less fruit production. IFG is focused on breeding varieties that ensure consistent cropping in a changing climate.

About Dr. Chris Owens
Dr. Chris Owens has been with IFG since 2016 and is now the Lead Plant Breeder, directing the development of improved varieties of table grapes and sweet cherries. He also directs IFG’s research and development efforts supporting the breeding program, including post-harvest evaluations, plant pathology and genetics. Chris interacts closely with the international technical and commercial teams with the goals to accelerate the adoption and maximize the success of IFG’s new varieties.
Chris holds a BS in horticulture from the University of Maryland, an MS in pomology from Cornell University, and a PhD in plant breeding and genetics from Michigan State University. Prior to IFG, Chris spent more than 20 years in germplasm development, breeding and genetics of both grapevines and cherries. The author of numerous book chapters and scientific articles, he has presented research results at national and international conferences and served on professional societies’ advisory committees.

Symrise AG makes changes to its Executive Board effective 1 April 2021. Heinrich Schaper, Executive Board member and responsible for the Flavor segment, will be retiring and leaving the Company on 31 March 2021. In the course of succession planning, the Supervisory Board has decided that Dr Jean-Yves Parisot is to take over the global leadership of the Flavor segment in addition to his responsibility for the Nutrition segment. This will involve combining the Flavor & Nutrition activities in one segment. Achim Daub, who has been Board member since 2006 and responsible for the Scent & Care segment, has decided to pursue new professional opportunities. He will therefore also leave the Company on 31 March 2021 by mutual agreement and on best terms. Succession planning for the leadership of the Scent & Care segment has already been initiated. On an interim basis, the CEO of Symrise AG, Dr Heinz-Jürgen Bertram, will lead the segment. Executive Board member Olaf Klinger will continue to head the finance, legal and IT department.

Jean-Yves Parisot (56) has been Head of the Nutrition/Diana business unit since 2014 and a member of the Executive Board of Symrise AG since October 2016. In his role, he was most recently responsible for the successful acquisition of ADF/IDF in the U.S. Prior to the acquisition and integration of Diana Group, he headed the Food Division within the Diana Group for five years. Before joining Diana, he held senior positions in several global pharmaceutical, chemical and biotech companies, including Air Liquide, Danisco and Rhodia. He started his career in Sales & Marketing at Pfizer. Jean-Yves Parisot holds a Doctor degree in Veterinary Medicine, and an MBA from HEC Paris.

Heinrich Schaper (64) has held various management positions at Symrise AG and its predecessor companies for more than four decades. In October 2016, he was appointed President of the Flavor segment. Among other positions during his career at Symrise, he was Vice President Flavor in the U.S., where he was responsible for expanding the business, and was previously responsible for developing the U.K. market as Divisional Manager. Heinrich Schaper began his professional career in 1975 after obtaining a degree in Industrial Management.

Achim Daub (58) joined Symrise AG in 2004, assuming global leadership of the Fragrance division in 2005 and was appointed to the Executive Board in 2006. He has consistently driven the expansion of the Scent & Care segment, particularly in France and in the U.S. Under his leadership, the Scent & Care segment also very successfully developed the world’s first and only fully functional artificial intelligence system in perfumery. Before joining Symrise, Achim Daub had worked for Procter & Gamble for many years.

Over the past 10 to 20 years, the ripples of change in the global soft drinks market have threatened to become tidal waves, with new categories emerging constantly and genuine novelty flooding the shelves.

According to a new report from Innova Market Insights, which highlights that in the global shift in soft drinks, juices and carbonates may still be the two most active sub-categories worldwide but growth is clearly much faster in alternative areas. For example, Ready-to-drink (RTD) sports drinks saw launch numbers increase at a CAGR of 26 % over 2014-2018, compared with 12 % CAGR for iced tea and coffee and 10 % CAGR for ‘other’ soft drinks, including novelties such as herbal drinks, jelly drinks and vinegar drinks.

Flavor trends also demonstrate the changing face of the market. The fastest growing flavors in recent years include matcha tea (+49 % CAGR 2013-2018), apple cider vinegar (+21 % CAGR) and kombucha (+21 % CAGR), all of which are thriving concepts from Asia that are now distinguishing themselves on a global platform.

As well as the emergence of new categories, overlap between existing varieties is continuing. ‘Hello Hybrids’, one of Innova’s Top 10 Trends for 2020, is perhaps nowhere as important as in the soft drinks arena. ‘Category definitions are blurring all the time,’ says Lu Ann Williams, Director of Innovation at Innova Market Insights. “For example, in the US, Odwalla has recently developed the Smoobucha, which is a blend of fruit smoothie with fermented kombucha.”

At the same time, as suppliers seek new platforms for success, segmentation is also changing the face of the soft drinks shelves. For example, Water+ is an established concept but is continuing to evolve beyond vitaminization and added energy, with fiber, probiotics, collagen and mood ingredients all finding their way into modern waters.

Over 30 international journalists from 20 countries attended the Geisenheim Conference on Climate Change

A Media Summit with a strong international attendance took place in Geisenheim on November 21, 2019. The Summit featured the publication of the third ProWein Business Report on the special topic of climate change, prepared by Hochschule Geisenheim University. Over 30 journalists from 20 countries attended nine presentations by international speakers on the effects of climate change on the wine industry, as well as adaptation and sustainability strategies. Two Geisenheim professors Prof. Dr. Hans Reiner Schultz and Prof. Dr. Claudia Kammann kicked things off by addressing the causes and existential significance of climate change for humankind.

In a live stream from Australia, Prof. Dr. Markus Herderich and Dr. Mardi Longbottom from the Australian Wine Research Institute (AWRI) reported on the impact of climate change on Australia’s wine industry, the adaptation strategies that have been in place there since 1980, as well as Australia’s sustainable wine-growing program. The presentation of the ProWein Business Reports on Climate Change by Prof. Dr. Simone Loose was streamed as a webinar to journalists worldwide. In underlining the significance of the report, Loose said: “this is the first time the ProWein Business Report has quantified the extent to which the various players in the international wine industry have already been affected by climate change, the comprehensive measures that have been taken to respond to it, as well as those that will be necessary in the future.”

Dr. Cristina Carlos from the Association for the Development of Viticulture in the Douro Region (ADVID) gave a very vivid account of the extent to which the winegrowers in Portugal are already suffering from water shortages and heat stress and the adjustments that are currently being made in order to sustain winegrowing in the region. Dr. Lukas Egarter Vigl of EURAC Research in Bolzano gave a talk on the systematic shift by South Tyrolean winegrowers to higher and cooler vineyards. Dr. Hervé Hannin from INRA Montpellier said France is thus far the only country to have systematically discussed local strategies for adapting to climate change with its winegrowers, which it intends to transform into a national strategy. The ecological sustainability of the wine industry was the focus of the two concluding lectures. Marcus Ihre from Systembolaget explained the role sustainability standards play in the purchasing of wines by the Swedish state-run retailer monopoly for alcoholic beverages,and how these standards are set and monitored. Keith Ulrich highlighted the fact that Fair’n Green is the only German standard in the wine industry to date to encourage members to make continuous improvements in all three areas of sustainability. As a member of Fair’n Green, winegrower Jochen Schmidt from the Palatinate region spoke about the measures he has successfully taken to make his winery CO² neutral.

The three-day Media Summit was rounded off by a tasting of sustainable wines presented by Stuart Piggott and Paula Sidore in the Geisenheim wine cellar, a tour of the Geisenheim FACE facility, a dinner at Schloss Vollrads, a demonstration of steep-slope viticulture in the Assmannshausen domain and a visit to the Steinberg cellar.