Logology

How Pepsi Got Suckered Into Every Hot Branding Trend

The soda giant’s latest imitation project is a relaxation drink that deploys all the millennial branding tricks

As if LaCroix, Liquid Death, and Topo Chico weren’t enough to keep the beverage aisle exciting, there’s a new water upstart slated to make its way onto supermarket shelves in the first quarter of 2021. And it comes from none other than PepsiCo.

In September, Pepsi announced it would launch a new product called Driftwell, an “enhanced” non-carbonated water beverage containing L-theanine and magnesium that is supposed to aid with sleep, although the company cannot legally make that claim and is left to drop vague hints about “relaxation.” Pepsi’s development of Driftwell stemmed from an internal pitch competition called “The Next Big Idea,” an initiative started last year by chairman and CEO Ramon Laguarta to encourage employees and associates to come up with new product concepts and innovations. “Driftwell is the fastest beverage brand ever to market from PepsiCo,” commented a company spokesperson in BeverageDaily.com.

Early reactions to the news bordered on roasting. Thrillist called Driftwell “arguably the strangest innovation since Crystal Pepsi,” while Gizmodo questioned the…