Fired Up: Pepsi To Launch Cinnamon Pepsi Fire Concept

PepsiCo, the parent company of Pepsi, announced on Thursday the newest line extension concept for the cola giant. The summer launch will feature a cinnamon flavored Pepsi product called “Pepsi Fire”. It will be available in both cans and bottles starting on May 22nd and running for an eight week period through mid-July.

The limited edition soft drink will be a part of a summer promotional campaign across the entire Pepsi lineup that will give away prizes called “Snap-Unlock-Win” which will integrate the promotional giveaways through the popular social media platform, SnapChat.

The summer cinnamon flavored “Pepsi Fire” will also be integrated into the 7-Eleven convenience store chain’s Slurpee lineup which the executives at Pepsi are touting as a drink experience that will be both hot and cold. The Slurpee and summer time are ubiquitous, and Pepsi is banking on the popularity of that frozen drink delivery system to create further buzz around the Fire product.

The product reviews I read have described the beverage as Pepsi meets Hot Tamales, those artificial cinnamon candies, and that the Slurpee was very spicy. I am sure it will appeal to some consumers, especially those who have an affinity for all things cinnamon.

In recent years, Pepsi has had varying levels of success with limited edition products. They have relaunched several product variations recently with real sugar added to the formula to offset the public perception regarding high fructose corn syrup and artificial sweeteners. The brand has also focused their efforts on a few different tweaks around the Cherry Vanilla Pepsi concept, most recently with a limited run around Valentine’s Day in 2016.
The summer line extensions have had success at times on a regional basis, the Pepsi Summer Mix concept with all the mixed fruit flavors included with the mainstream cola flavor was very successful in the northeast United States back in 2007. I remember purchasing that beverage when I travelled for my job at that time throughout the region.

PepsiCo also agreed to join an initiative with the Partnership for a Healthy America, where across all their brand lines they have agreed to limit the amount of calories, sodium, and sugars contained within many different products. PepsiCo has 22 brands that produce more than $1 billion or more in sales per year, so this represents a major contribution toward healthier snack options for the American consumer.

The company will also be reviewing their formulations to determine methods to incorporate more protein into their brand portfolio. They will also look at moving toward more non-GMO containing ingredients for their huge stable of product offerings, according to trade industry reports. This is not surprising news given the trend lines of both of those areas within the current consumer environment.

The inclusion of protein is a hot button trend within the current consumer climate with people leading more active as well as very busy “eat and run” lifestyles. The non-GMO trend has been steadily more relevant with the average American consumer and is a topic I have written about extensively in the past. The consumer interest in GMO containing ingredients is significant, and the major players in the industry are taking notice.

The seasonal launch concept is nothing new in the beverage industry, and it is a way that brands can rejuvenate interest as well as maximize sales. The limited nature of the product concept usually creates a sense of urgency for the consumer. The summer season is one of obvious increased sales of carbonated soft drinks. This new concept should be interesting for sure. The inclusion of social media into the promotional contest portion is also an interesting aspect of this launch.

The utilization of social media could well represent the future of the promotional campaigns that brands will roll out to engage consumers on a more personalized level. That could either represent a great innovation or be a complete disaster which will remain to be seen. The beverage industry is poised now to enter the summer season which should give us all hope that the long sunny days are waiting just around the corner.