Pepsi has teamed up with emerging Australian designer, Jackson Cowden, to launch the first Australian AI-fashion brand collab, an idea by Special PR. The 10-piece collection is designed distinctly AI first, taking inspiration from Pepsi’s new brand look and reimagining classic staples such as the little black dress and the classic white shirt through AI.
The Pepsi Pulse Collection with the 22-year-old emerging digital fashion artist highlights Pepsi’s new visual identity, while challenging the status-quo of traditional design.
Using traditional design methods of sketching, pattern making, and multiple sample rounds would normally take Jackson up to nine months to complete a collection. With the young designer choosing instead an alternative approach in AI fashion technology, designing first in the digital world, Jackson was able to complete the final designs in 40 days, minimising waste, saving time, and pushing the boundaries of fashion traditions.
Special PR managing director, Alex Bryant, stated, “Finding an interesting way to celebrate such an iconic brand’s refresh was an amazing challenge for us in our first major campaign for Special PR for Pepsi. Taking inspiration from an industry that knows how to reinvent and refresh, we were delighted to find a shared vision with fashion designer and creative director for the collection, Jackson Cowden. This campaign launch demonstrates how Pepsi continues to challenge conventions, pushes the boundaries, and always puts enjoyment first.”
Vandita Pandey, chief marketing officer ANZ, snacks beverages at PepsiCo Australia, added, “Following on from hugely successful global launches in other markets, we really wanted our local launch to feel relevant to our culturally thirsty, next generation drinkers in Australia. Pepsi supports the next generation of creators and designers. With our new visual identity being bold, unapologetic, modern, and iconic we wanted to partner with a young designer who could put a unique take on our refresh. It was a privilege to be able to support Jackson to launch his first runway show.”
Jackson Cowden commented, “It’s been incredibly significant for me to partner with Pepsi at this point in my career, a partnership born of our shared values around challenging the status quo, pushing the unconventional and searching for new and bold ways of doing things.
“Increasingly in the near future fashion designers will be drawn towards digital fashion design, with ‘preconceived rules’ in creative fields abandoned. Pepsi is known for keeping their finger on the culture pulse, and the innovative and creative way this collection has come to life further proves this.”
Pepsi’s Pulse Collection was launched with Australia’s leading event and experience creator, Rizer, on the edge of Sydney’s famous harbour, underscored by an exclusive performance from homegrown superstar, G Flip, with model Samantha Harris leading the runway with James Parr.
Rizer creative director, Zoe Bailey, stated, “Jackson’s digital design process formed a huge inspiration in creating an unconventional runway show, with the energy of Pepsi’s bold identity. Embracing the unconventional, we blur the lines between fashion, animation, lighting, sound, dance, and performance, all in one story.”
The runway was also live-streamed via oOh!media’s full motion site in The Bourke in Melbourne. In a first for oOh!media’s innovation and creative hub, POLY, it managed the end to end production from broadcast to delivery.
The Pepsi Pulse Runway Collection campaign will cover experiential, earned, social and OOH.
Credits
Client: Pepsi
Chief Marketing Officer, Snacks & Beverages: Vandita Pandey
Head of Marketing Beverages: Susan Press
Marketing Manager: Tiana Handel
Brand Manager: Candy Wong
Senior Corporate Communications Manager: Skye Oxenham
Special PR
Partner & CEO: Lindsay Evans
Managing Director: Alex Bryant
Strategy Partner: Dave Hartmann
Partners & CCOs: Tom Martin & Julian Schreiber
Creative Director: Max McKeon
Creative Strategist: Kate Wilkinson
Team Lead: Michelle Braslin
Business Director: Maddie Armstrong
Account Director: Sarah Halpin
Publicist: Allex Conley
Account Executive: Bella Hayes
Business Director: Jamie Astley
Social Lead: Irnin Khan
Designer: Maggie Webster
Creative Director & Lead Designer of the Pepsi Pulse Collection: Jackson Cowden
Head of Fashion Production: Sophie Azar
Production Assistant & Machinist: Liam Ramirez
Production Coordinators: Kolet Hodgson & Sophie Nixon
Experience: Rizer
Founding Director: Barry Wafer
General Manager: Mellani Tallis
Head of Projects: Edward Woolrych
Chief Creative Officer: Bim Ricketson
Head of Production: Adam Lofthouse
Executive Producer: Ashley Diamond
Creative Director: Zoe Bailey
Senior Producer: Dominica Lipinski
Senior Production Manager: Andrew Lee
Talent Executive: Pamela Craddock
Associate Producer: Mieke Bosschieter
Creative: Olivia Rowlands
Media Agency: PHD
Group Business Director: Jen Jones
Business Director: Imogen Speck
Planning Director: Gilbert Lee
Group Investment Manager: Christine Chen
Senior Investment Manager: Mikeah Irving
Media Partner: OOH
Production and Content Director: Richard Moore
Digital Producer: Zoe Chan-Iverach
Multimedia Developer: Luke Haillay
Technology Lead: Mark Passlow
Technology Analyst: Michelle Su
All images: Magner Media
