For over 20 years, Coca-Cola dominated Thailand’s southern provinces, deeply rooted in local communities, making it difficult for Pepsi to compete. Southern Gen Z, eager to express individuality, felt stifled by traditional norms that discouraged deviation, pushing young talents to seek recognition elsewhere. Pepsi faced the dual challenge of overcoming Coke’s entrenched presence and empowering southern youth to embrace self-expression.

Pepsi created the ‘Pepsi South Power Challenge, a platform empowering southern Gen Z to express themselves through Music, Dance, Art, and Cooking. TikTok served as the main platform, encouraging content creation. The top 40 participants advanced to an on-ground activation judged by southern influencers. The campaign concluded with a grand 3D mapping finale in Phuket, reinforcing Pepsi’s support for individuality.

The campaign resonated with southern Gen Z, resulting in over 1,000 TikTok videos and 50 million views in one month. The on-ground event drew significant participation, crowning four winners as Pepsi brand ambassadors. The 3D mapping finale became a major attraction, solidifying the campaign’s success. Most importantly, it fostered a deeper emotional connection between Pepsi and the southern community, with audiences eagerly anticipating future iterations. The campaign boosted brand awareness and empowered a new generation to boldly express themselves.