Coca-Cola’s polar bear, the one that has starred in its Christmas campaigns for years, prefers Pepsi. And that leads him to experience an identity crisis that has been portrayed in the brand’s Super Bowl ad, titled “The Choice,” which highlights that Pepsi Zero Sugar beats its rivals in flavor.
The ad addresses the idea that, without labels, consumers prefer Pepsi
Directed by filmmaker and actor Taika Waititi, the spot addresses the concept of what Pepsi calls “The Pepsi Paradox,” that is, the idea that when labels and prejudices disappear, consumers prefer the taste of Pepsi. To do this, he subjects the bear to a blind tasting of the zero-sugar version of both soft drinks, alluding to “The Pepsi Challenge”, an initiative that the brand launched fifty years ago and which it revived last year. On a tour of the United States, he encouraged consumers to try between Pepsi and its main rival, Coca-Cola, and guess which of the two soft drinks they were drinking.
What’s more, “The Choice” relies on the data collected during the challenge. According to the company in a statement, 66% of participants agreed that Pepsi Zero Sugar tastes better than Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, and Pepsi Zero Sugar won 100% of the markets where Pepsi held the Pepsi Challenge, including in Atlanta, Coca-Cola’s hometown.
The advertisement takes place to the rhythm of the popular song “I want to break free”, by the group Queen, and is more than just a “trolling” of the competition. By choosing Pepsi, the polar bear experiences an existential crisis that, addressed with the director’s signature humor, becomes a path to self-discovery and a celebration of his newfound love for the soft drink.
The creative concept has been worked on by PepsiCo Content Studio and BBDO.
“For decades, Pepsi has been committed to being the most competitive cola brand, but we continue to prove that we are number one where it matters most: taste“Commented Gustavo Reyna, Vice President of Marketing at Pepsi, in a statement. “With Taika’s unmistakable touch on the ad, we’ve embarked on a mission, along with our newest, furriest fan, to show the universal truth that Pepsi tastes better”.
“The Choice” is Pepsi’s proposal for this edition of the Super Bowl, which will take place on Sunday, February 8, 2026 in California. The brand’s presence at the event will be through Pepsi Zero Sugar, taking advantage of the demand for soft drinks without sugar or with low sugar content. According to the company, in 2025, Pepsi Zero Sugar experienced 30.8% growth, almost double the sugar-free cola category, and reached more than one million new homes.
The ad is part of a broader strategy with which Pepsi invites American consumers to experience the taste of its soft drink. Thus, it will carry out product raffles on the same day as the Super Bowl, street marketing actions starring the polar bear and collaborations with restaurants to bring its drink closer to consumers.
