Captain Morgan partners with Pepsi on RTD
Diageo-owned rum brand Captain Morgan is the latest spirits brand to team up with a soft drink company to create a ready-to-drink (RTD) serve.
The brand’s Original Spiced Gold rum will be paired with Pepsi Max and canned at 5% ABV. Available in 330ml or 250ml cans, the drink can be ordered from UK retailers today (25 September) for an RRP of £2.59 (US$3.50). Nuno Teles, managing director GB at Diageo, said: “With a shared emphasis on fun, our partnership with Pepsi Max brings together two iconic brands to create one epic taste that will inject excitement into the RTD category. Both brands bring their own distinctive flavour profile to the mix, an expert blend to deliver a great taste experience.” Diageo research found that 81% of consumers are more likely to purchase an RTD with a branded mixer. The Spirits Business predicted that spirits firms partnering with soft drinks would be big this year, with the trend spearheaded by Jack Daniel’s. The Brown-Forman-owned brand introduced a cherry variant last week. Also last week, Bacardí revealed it had partnered with Coca-Cola to create an RTD serve that will be released in 2025. Natalia Filippociants, general manager of beverages at PepsiCo UK, added: “PepsiCo is always looking for new opportunities to meet the changing tastes and demands of consumers by bringing new, innovative products to market. “Our partnership with Diageo brings together two drinks powerhouses who share the same passion for innovation. “Together, we’re mixing up the ready-to-drink category by creating a premium, iconic blend of flavours fans know and love with Captain Morgan Original Spiced Gold and Pepsi Max – the first alcoholic beverage to feature our flagship Pepsi brand.” The Captain Morgan Original Spiced Gold and Pepsi Max product will be supported with a marketing campaign in out-of-home, broadcast TV, digital video and social media, as well as a ‘disruptive’ sampling programme and cultural activations. The hero ad is a video that takes the audience inside the serve, featuring a collision of animated splashes representing the two liquids and the message ‘Two Greats, One Epic Taste’.
