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PURCHASE, N.Y. — Fourth of July is the quintessential American holiday filled with flags, fireworks, baseball, and hot dogs. According to the National Hot Dog & Sausage Council, Americans will consume over 150 million hot dogs on July 4 alone, enough to stretch from Washington D.C. to L.A. more than five times! (NHDSC, 2022) And with Pepsi sales heating up ahead of July 4, the brand is bringing even more red, white and blue to the party by showing the entire country that hot dogs go #BetterWithPepsi.
Pepsi brings back #BetterWithPepsi campaign to declare that hot dogs go Better With Pepsi.
Even Joey Chestnut, widely considered the greatest competitive eater of all time, knows the best way to eat a hot dog is with a refreshing ice cold Pepsi. “I’m thrilled to be partnering with Pepsi to show America that hot dogs go better with Pepsi,” said Joey Chestnut, 15-time hot dog eating champion. “People might be surprised, but outside of competitions I love eating hot dogs at a more leisurely pace, and there’s no better way to eat a hot dog – steamed, grilled, or fried – than with a perfectly cool and crisp Pepsi.”
Pepsi, with help from the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) Consulting (a business unit of The Culinary Institute of America), has completely reimagined what condiments can be for America’s favorite summer food, unveiling Pepsi Colachup, the world’s first Pepsi-infused condiment. Pepsi is so confident that hot dogs are #BetterWithPepsi, the brand is taking hot dog enjoyment to the next level with Pepsi Colachup, giving fans the chance to add even more of the iconic sweet, citrusy taste of a crisp, refreshing Pepsi-Cola directly onto their hot dog.
“The concept is both simple and creative. The distinctive flavors and vibrant citrus blend of Pepsi enhances the bright and tangy characteristics of ketchup, offsetting the smokiness of the hot dog,” said David Kamen, director of client experience for CIA Consulting. “It’s a whole new way to enjoy two American classics!”
On July 4, Pepsi is teaming up with the Detroit Tigers, Minnesota Twins, Arizona Diamondbacks and New York Yankees for exclusive in-stadium sampling during the team’s home games. Hot dog enthusiasts who want to be the first to try Pepsi Colachup can look for the sampling carts at these stadium locations:
- Chase Field, Phoenix, AZ; Section 130/131
- Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY; Pepsi Lounge (Pepsi Lounge Ticket Required)
- Target Field, Minneapolis, MN; Section 113
- Comerica Park, Detroit, MI; Section 139
“Pepsi has long been part of American culture and its cool crisp taste has been a favorite beverage choice for generations of Americans. We have always known that hot dogs taste better with Pepsi, and now the experts think so too,” said Jenny Danzi, Senior Director, Pepsi TM. “We’re thrilled to elevate this unparalleled pairing and build off our #BetterWithPepsi campaigns of past summers, when we proved that pizza and burgers go #BetterWithPepsi. We invented Pepsi Colachup to reinforce just how well hot dogs and Pepsi go together – an unapologetically mouthwatering creation that seamlessly merges a condiment with the ultimate hot dog pairing beverage, delivering a unified taste experience.”
Fans who can’t make it to the ballpark can still experience the joy of Pepsi with a hot dog. All weekend long through July 4, consumers who purchase a hot dog (or dogs) with a Pepsi at any food service or retail location can get the Pepsi comped by texting “FREEPEPSI” to 81234 and uploading the receipt that clearly shows a hot dog and a Pepsi purchase to get reimbursed the cost of a 20oz Pepsi product, via PayPal, Venmo or Digital Retailer Gift Card. See rules and guidelines here.
The #BetterWithPepsi Creative Campaign
The hot dog promotion and limited-edition Pepsi Colachup is the latest iteration of the brand’s Better With Pepsi creative campaign, which was launched in 2021 with Burgers and extended to Pizza in 2022. As part of this #BetterwithPepsi program, Pepsi debuted two new national television spots titled “Every Bite: Better With Pepsi” which can be viewed here and here. 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 favorite foods.
