Iconic 1976 Pepsi Campaign Just Got a Fresh Summery Revival
Summer has always been peak soda season, and Pepsi is leaning into the nostalgia by bringing back one of its most recognizable marketing campaigns. Fifty years after the original Pepsi Challenge sparked one of America's most famous cola rivalries, the brand is inviting a new generation of consumers to put its signature taste to the test.
The new Pepsi Challenge Tour brings the classic blind taste test back with a modern update. Instead of comparing the original colas, participants will sample Pepsi Zero Sugar and Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, blind to which is which, before choosing their favorite. It's a fresh take on a campaign that helped define the cola wars - complete with interactive experiences, giveaways, and plenty of summer fun along the way.
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The Pepsi Challenge Gets a Modern Summer Twist
The original Pepsi Challenge, which debuted five decades ago, quickly became one of the most memorable advertising campaigns of its era. Participants were invited to take a blind taste test between two unlabeled cups of cola, letting their taste buds - not the brand name - decide the winner.
Now, Pepsi is bringing that same concept back to cities across the country.
As part of the Pepsi Challenge Tour, visitors can sample Pepsi Zero Sugar and Coca-Cola Zero Sugar in a blind taste test before revealing which one they preferred. Beyond the tasting itself, the tour features games, branded giveaways, photo opportunities, and other interactive experiences designed to make it a memorable stop for soda fans throughout the summer.
According to Pepsi, the revived challenge celebrates the campaign's 50th anniversary while showcasing the bold taste of Pepsi Zero Sugar in a way that's both nostalgic and new.
Why the Pepsi Challenge Still Resonates
Advertising campaigns come and go, but few have remained part of pop culture quite like the Pepsi Challenge. Rather than simply telling consumers its soda tastes better, Pepsi built the campaign around a simple question: Which cola do people actually prefer when the labels disappear?
That idea feels just as relevant today, even as consumer tastes have evolved. With zero-sugar soft drinks becoming an increasingly popular choice, Pepsi has updated the challenge to reflect the way many people shop and sip today while keeping the spirit of the original campaign intact.
Whether longtime fans remember taking the Pepsi Challenge decades ago or younger consumers are experiencing it for the first time, the summer tour offers a chance to revisit one of the beverage industry's most recognizable marketing moments-and perhaps settle the cola debate with a blind taste test of their own.
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This story was originally published July 1, 2026 at 1:25 PM.