The beverage giant is aligning with global demand for zero-sugar beverages.
Following its claims to have emerged as the better-tasting zero-sugar cola in the US, PepsiCo is now targeting younger and health-conscious consumers in China.
“In China’s beverage market, zero sugar drinks have become more than a choice. They’re a form of self-expression,” said PepsiCo in a media statement on December 31 last year, which announced the ‘Zero Sugar for City-Wide Craze’ campaign inspired by Disney movie Zootopia 2.
The campaign uses pop culture-driven visuals aimed at Gen Z and young families, reflecting PepsiCo’s longer-term strategy of embedding entertainment and crossover collaborations into its brand narrative to deepen emotional engagement.
These limited-edition cans are positioned as a form of social currency – collectible and shareable – which allows consumers to connect the movie characters’ appeal with everyday moments.
“They translate the charisma and camaraderie of the characters into a tangible, refreshing experience right in the hands of consumers. Every moment of drinking becomes a statement, letting people express themselves through the characters while bridging the emotional world of the movie with their own real-life moments,” said Pepsico.
The collaboration merges online and offline touchpoints, encouraging social media interactions and featuring eye-catching physical installations across cities including Shanghai, Beijing, Chengdu, and Shenzhen.
The rollout underscores PepsiCo’s youth-focused, integrated marketing strategy, which the company aims to replicate across the wider APAC region.
Riding the zero-sugar trend with aesthetic packaging
With the zero-sugar trend and Disney appeal spreading across the globe, PepsiCo is leveraging the popularity of Zootopia, China’s top-grossing Disney film to date, according to reports from Reuters, Xinhua, and The Business Times.
The animated film has built a massive fanbase and lasting emotional resonance with Chinese consumers.
“The return of Zootopia 2 is more than a cultural event. It’s a moment eagerly awaited by Gen Z. Riding this wave of excitement and social buzz, the collaboration turns Pepsi and 7UP into fresh markers of identity, empowering fans and young consumers to express who they are through the brands they embrace,” said Pepsico.
This echoes the findings of researchers in Australia, who found that design and visual aesthetics are essential elements of packaging design and other marketing communications because they can foster desired brand associations.
“Design elements that comprise a package’s visual appearance are well known to communicate value and meaning, and provide a sense of identity for consumers. In helping consumers relate to such identities through enhanced cultural product and brand engagement, visual design has become increasingly important in marketing,” wrote researchers in the Journal of Product & Brand Management.
The firm is focused on growing its zero-sugar category to appeal to the health-conscious needs of younger consumers.
PepsiCo has been ramping up its zero-sugar positioning globally. Last December, the firm said Pepsi Zero Sugar won 100% of The Pepsi Challenge in the US.
Results showed that even in Coke’s stronghold Atlanta, 58% participants preferred Pepsi Zero Sugar. Overall, PepsiCo achieved a consumer preference rate exceeding 60% across the US.
The firm said it will continue to focus on growing its zero-sugar category through youth-centric creativity and cultural collaboration.
“Moving forward, Pepsi will continue to be driven by a youth-centric vision and cultural co-creation, spreading the zero-sugar trend to more young consumers,” said PepsiCo.