The Pepsi Re-Generation

Admittedly, I was never much a part of the Pepsi Generation to begin with. And I've so aged out of any demographic that Pepsi appears to be interested in with it's new More Happy campaign, all revolving around re-designs of the Pepsi can. Which are all connected to their very own web-sites and, for lack of better word, philosophies.

You can check all this nonsense out at the Pepsi Gallery, where you'll get "a glimpse into a new world of Pepsi experiences."

This is the beginning. It's for you. Uncover its message. Discover what you've known all along. What does your Pepsi say to you?

Frankly, what Pepsi usually says to me is "You're in a Marriott, so we don't serve Diet Coke." And uncover the message? I've heard about message in a bottle, but message in a Pepsi can? The message in this can takes you to a web-cam of Times Square, where you can watch the electronic billboard of the new Pepsi cans.

The groovy design leads you to www.pepsismash.com, where you can get in your own personal groove with JoJo, Ne-Yo, Mic Pass, and someone called Flyleaf, who is covering a classic: Smell's Like Teen Spirit. I could also play tunes by Justin Timberlake, Ludacris, and My Chemical Romance, which I first read as My Chemical Reaction. Of course, my chemical reaction is, this is all ludicrous. 

Photobooth takes you to a "collage of youth." And "Pepsi celebrating a cool new world of global awareness and personal choice inspired by you." I didn't have the music on for this little trip, but the visuals suggested that this little trip was on acid.

There are a lot more choices to look through in the Pepsi gallery, and I was just too exhausted to go through them all looking for a can that looks like it might say "geezer" - maybe an old-timey Pepsi can from 1975 - and leads no where, other than to a message that says "Sometimes people drink soda because they're thirsty."

I cannot imagine how many millions of dollars Pepsi is spending on marketing and production costs to come up with something that innovates around the design of the can. Actually not a redesign of the can - a redesign of what's on the can. Will kids really spend time on all these "cool" Pepsi web sites, that are clearly designed and built by older, fogey-er people. Will kids go out and buy Pepsi because of the can its in?

All I know is that Pepsi is so not talkin' 'bout my generation.