PepsiCo’s CMO on How Its Super Bowl Strategy Informs 2026 Growth Plans

Why It Matters

The strategy translates a single high‑visibility event into measurable revenue acceleration across legacy and emerging brands, signaling how CPG giants can fuse traditional TV with experiential and social‑first tactics to drive growth.

Key Takeaways

• PepsiCo leveraged Super Bowl ads for Zero Sugar, Lay’s, Poppi.
• Zero Sugar achieved over 30% sales growth in 2025.
• Poppi retail sales rose >45% YoY after Super Bowl push.
• Lay’s campaign highlighted farm origin, promising 100k bags in 72h.
• Experiential activations extended brand presence beyond TV spots.

Pulse Analysis

The Super Bowl remains a premium platform for consumer packaged goods firms seeking mass‑scale attention, and PepsiCo’s 2024‑25 play illustrates a modern twist on that formula. By fielding four spots across three brands, the company aligned its messaging with a five‑dimensional framework—screen, scroll, search, shop, and sense—while layering off‑screen experiences such as a Doritos food truck and a Tostitos cantina activation. This blend of broadcast reach and tactile brand moments amplifies recall and creates conversation that extends well beyond the game’s 30‑minute window.

Performance data validates the approach. Pepsi Zero Sugar posted over 30% sales growth in 2025, outpacing the broader zero‑sugar cola category, and contributed to a 2.1% organic revenue lift in Q4. Poppi, the prebiotic soda acquired last year, saw retail sales surge more than 45% year‑over‑year, buoyed by a 30‑second ad featuring Charli XCX that resonated on social platforms. Lay’s leveraged a farmer‑centric narrative to address a consumer knowledge gap—over 40% of U.S. shoppers were unaware the chips are made from real potatoes—while promising rapid delivery of 100,000 bags within 72 hours, reinforcing its authenticity and speed-to‑consumer promise.

The broader implication for the CPG sector is clear: high‑budget TV spots must be complemented by experiential and social‑first extensions to capture the fragmented attention economy. PepsiCo’s integration of agency partners, real‑time data from firms like Dig, and a focus on “sense” experiences demonstrates a roadmap for brands aiming to translate cultural moments into sustained growth. As competitors scramble for similar activation playbooks, the ability to turn a single event into a multi‑channel, measurable growth engine will become a decisive competitive advantage.