• by Fern Siegel , February 6, 2025

Pepsi has reignited the Cola Wars.

Fifty years ago, Pepsi launched the Pepsi Challenge in a blind taste-test against Coke, its biggest rival. Pepsi won.

Now, Pepsi is going nationwide to let more than 1 million people put Pepsi Zero Sugar to the test. And it all begins during Super Bowl LIX Weekend in New Orleans.

Four agencies — Motive, New Creatures, Genesco and CLS — are involved in the Pepsi 2025 challenge. The spot is here, running live on social networks.

Leading up to Super Bowl LIX, Pepsi will invite football fans and others to take part in a series of blind taste tests, sampling Pepsi Zero Sugar and Coke Zero. The Pepsi Challenge begins at the “Chips and Sips Quarter” in New Orleans, located at 500 Decatur St and runs February 6-9.

In March, Pepsichallenge.com travels to various U.S. cities, including Las Vegas, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Houston, Dallas, Tampa, Miami, Orlando, Indianapolis, Baltimore and New York. Pepsi will give all challenge participants a free 20 oz bottle of Pepsi Zero Sugar. Fans can also enter for a chance to win Do-It-Yourself Pepsi Challenge Kits and other limited-edition Pepsi Challenge merchandise through sweepstakes on Pepsi.com. 

“The Pepsi Challenge changed the game 50 years ago, and it’s back to do it again," said Jenny Danzi, senior director of marketing, Pepsi. “This is about showing the world, one sip at a time, what we already know – that Pepsi Zero Sugar is the best-tasting and most refreshing zero-sugar cola out there.”