Pepsi Zero Sugar, known previously as Pepsi Max and Pepsi Black, is a sugar-free cola alternative marketed globally by PepsiCo. This article delves into the drink's ingredients, its evolution through rebranding, and its marketing strategies.
History and Evolution
The drink was first announced on March 2, 1993, under the name Pepsi Max. Initially, an entirely different Pepsi Max was marketed in Canada starting in early 1994 due to strict regulations concerning artificial sweeteners. This unique Canadian version contained a combination of aspartame and high fructose corn syrup, making it the only Pepsi Max product to contain sugar. As a result, it had two-thirds fewer calories than regular Pepsi but more calories than conventional diet colas.
In 1998, following the FDA's approval of acesulfame potassium, PepsiCo introduced Pepsi One in North America. Pepsi One contained the same sweeteners as Pepsi Max but did not have an identical formula or flavor. By 2005, Pepsi One was reformulated, replacing aspartame with Splenda brand sucralose.
Diet Pepsi Max was introduced in the United States on June 1, 2007, and in Canada in March 2008.
Ingredients and Nutritional Information
Pepsi Zero Sugar is a low-calorie, sugar-free cola sweetened with aspartame and acesulfame K, which are artificial sweeteners. These sweeteners provide the sweet taste without the use of sugar. The beverage also contains caffeine, a natural stimulant. Before late 2022, Pepsi Zero Sugar contained almost twice as much caffeine as Diet Pepsi. However, in January 2023, PepsiCo reformulated the recipe for Pepsi Zero Sugar in the United States, reducing the amount of caffeine and removing ginseng.
Read also: The story of Diet Pepsi
Rebranding and Packaging
From 2009 to 2010, all Pepsi brands underwent a global rebranding, transforming the blue and red globe trademark into a series of "smiles." The central white band arced at different angles to distinguish each product. For Pepsi Max, particularly in the North American market, the logo featured a large "smile" and incorporated black in the bottom half of the globe, contrasting with the standard royal blue. In July 2010, Pepsi began aligning its North American branding of Pepsi Max with the global design, introducing the slogan "Zero Calories. Maximum Taste."
In 2023, Pepsi Max packaging was redesigned as part of a broader Pepsi rebranding, featuring an electric blue and black color scheme. The product was also renamed Pepsi Zero Sugar in many countries. The original name was stylized as Pepsi MAX.
Marketing and Advertising
Pepsi Zero Sugar has been promoted through various marketing campaigns, including television commercials and sponsorships. Before its rebranding in 2020, the logo was prominently featured in advertising.
For Super Bowl XLIV in 2010, Pepsi Max recreated a popular ad from Super Bowl XXIX in 1995. The original ad depicted a Coca-Cola driver and a Pepsi driver forming a friendship and trying each other's sodas, only for the friendship to end when the Coca-Cola driver refused to return the Pepsi. The new ad mirrored this scenario but featured the drivers arguing over Pepsi Max versus Coke Zero. Actor Richard Speight, Jr. played the "Pepsi Max" delivery guy in numerous commercials, appearing alongside baseball and football players, Snoop Dogg, and NASCAR champion Jeff Gordon.
Pepsi Zero Sugar sponsored the Super Bowl LI Halftime Show in 2017, featuring Lady Gaga as the headlining performer.
Read also: Diet Pepsi: A Deep Dive
International Availability and Variations
Pepsi Max has been sold under different names and with various limited-edition flavors in different regions:
- Australia/New Zealand and the United Kingdom: Was first sold as Pepsi Max Cease Fire and Pepsi Max Citrus Freeze in 2011 as part of a promotion with Doritos corn chips before being re-released in 2016 and 2021 respectively.
- United Kingdom and Poland: Sold as a year-long limited edition under the name Pepsi Electric.
Comparison with Competitors
Coca-Cola Zero, a rival sugar-free cola from The Coca-Cola Company, is marketed similarly to Pepsi Zero Sugar. Both brands aim to provide a zero-sugar alternative to their regular cola offerings.
Read also: Gluten-Free Diet Pepsi Guide