Pepsi takes Christmas to the streets with Sh30 million Fizzmas campaign

Pepsi Kenya has launched a Sh30 million festive campaign aimed at inserting the brand directly into how Kenyans eat, travel and celebrate Christmas, betting on experiences rather than promotions to win consumer attention during the year’s busiest season.

Dubbed Fizzmas, the December-long campaign places Pepsi and its wider beverage portfolio at the centre of concerts, malls, travel routes and food outlets, as the company seeks to dominate high-traffic social moments under the theme “Everything Else Can Wait, It’s Christmas” .

The rollout marks an expansion of Pepsi’s festive footprint beyond traditional advertising, with activations planned across entertainment venues, shopping malls and major holiday travel corridors. 

Consumers will encounter Pepsi, Mirinda, Aquafina and Sting Energy through live experiences, sampling and lifestyle touchpoints rather than competition-driven mechanics.

Speaking during the launch in Nairobi, SBC Country Manager John K’Otieno said the strategy was designed to meet consumers where they naturally congregate during the holidays, from concerts and malls to roadside stops and shared social spaces.

“This season is about fun, connection and shared experiences,” K’Otieno said, adding that the company’s focus was on improving festive environments and moments rather than asking consumers to jump through promotional hoops.

A key pillar of the campaign is a series of partnerships targeting everyday consumption. Pepsi has teamed up with Simbisa Brands, bringing Pizza Inn, Chicken Inn and Galito’s into the Fizzmas ecosystem, ensuring the campaign reaches diners and takeaway customers nationwide. 

The brand has also partnered with Shell petrol stations to engage holiday travellers through on-the-road product experiences and festive sampling along major routes.

In urban centres, Pepsi has intensified its presence at major malls and retail hubs, including Galleria, The Junction, The Hub Karen, Garden City and Two Rivers, blending entertainment with in-store visibility to maintain a consistent festive presence throughout December.

From a commercial perspective, SBC Kenya Business Development Director Martin Kariuki said the campaign is as much about growth as it is about celebration, positioning Fizzmas as a consumer recruitment tool during a peak consumption period.

“Our portfolio has something for everyone, and the festive season gives us the perfect window to introduce our brands to millions of Kenyans,” Kariuki said, pointing to the mix of soft drinks, water and energy beverages designed to appeal to different consumption occasions.

Fizzmas runs alongside Pepsi’s ongoing Kunywa Airtime na Pepsi Millennium Campaign, which rewards consumers with airtime, data and mobile money from participating bottles, extending value beyond physical experiences and into everyday utility.

The campaign will run through the festive season into early January, overlapping with peak travel, family gatherings and the back-to-school period.

 With Kenya’s soft drinks market estimated at more than $3.7 billion, Pepsi’s end-of-year push signals a deliberate effort to grow market share, deepen nationwide distribution and strengthen cultural relevance across generations.