• by Joe Mandese  @mp_joemandese, September 16, 2015

PepsiCo has always been a culturally-savvy marketing organization, but its big shift has been in understanding that culture is not defined simply by ethnic and racial segments of the population, but by cultural mindsets divided by “areas like music and fashion and art,” PepsiCo Senior Director of Creator - Culture Strategy & Innovation Carlos Saavedra during the opening keynote at Engage: Millennials in New York City this morning.

Saavedra said PepsiCo began by embracing the next new shiny media technology object -- things like Periscope and Meerkat -- but it realized that all its competitors were doing the same thing.

“We had to shift to co-creation,” he said, noting that meant, “working with the folks that are developing these experiences and how could we shape that in a way that is more meaningful for our brands.”