Pepsi Twist didn't have a long life in Japan. Perhaps the taste didn't sit well with many of the Japanese. Maybe the lackluster ad campaign didn't increase awareness as well as it should have. Whatever the reason, Pepsi Twist Diet is no more. However, in its place there is Pepsi Nex.
The name does not make mention or even hint to its lemony flavor. You'll have to make a conscious effort to look for that information on the product's label. In fact, rather than focusing on its refreshing flavor, what Pepsico (or rather Suntory) wants you to know this time around is that the product is zero calories, and it's zero calories of deliciousness.
So now that they've successfully disguised its little citric additive, how is Pepsi Nex going about getting its name known? Well, how about using hot celebrities to attract the 18-35 year-old crowd?
Suntory has enlisted the talents of Masaharu Fukuyama, Satoshi Tsumabuki, and Erika Sawajiri for their new ad campaign, spanning billboards, TV and the Internet. To be honest, I am not very interested in Japanese TV dramas, but Ms. Sawajiri's seductive pose and provocative outfit in the ads make her worth investigating; and thus make Nex stick out in the collective minds of most men. If Suntory can make someone with virtually no interest in Japanese TV or mainstream films take note of their ad campaign, there is no doubt that with the popularity and sex appeal of the celebrities in these ads, Pepsi Nex will be a well known beverage in no time.
Watch the ads here.
