Pepsi Thirsty For More 2025

Pepsi’s 2025 “Thirsty For More” campaign is one of the most authentic and refreshing ads I’ve come across in 2025. I first saw it on Instagram through a Reel where a group of teenagers were singing karaoke together. The caption read, “If you love it, it’s never a waste,” followed by the hashtag #ThirstyForMore. That one line really stood out to me. It didn’t feel like a sales pitch. It felt like something personal, something that actually meant something.

Later, I watched the full ad on YouTube. It showed different people doing the things they love - dancing in public, going on road trips, gaming marathons, or just enjoying little moments with friends. The campaign also featured David Beckham, which added a familiar face, but the heart of the ad was about real experiences. The whole film celebrated joy in its purest form and reminded people that passion and fun, no matter how small, are always worth it. That message: If you love it, it’s never a waste, tied everything together and made it feel more like a movement than a traditional ad.

Picture Credits: Pepsico

What Worked Well

One of the biggest strengths of the campaign is its tone. Pepsi didn’t try too hard to sell the product. Instead, they focused on a relatable emotion - self-expression without judgment. They chose to show moments that people often call “a waste of time” and reframed them as moments that matter.

This is especially powerful for Gen Z and millennials, who are used to hearing that certain passions, like gaming, dancing, or even taking long walks with no destination, are pointless. Pepsi challenged that mindset and gave people permission to enjoy what they love without guilt.

The campaign also avoided being overly scripted. It leaned into user-generated energy, similar to Ikea's Hidden Tags campaign, making it feel like something you could see on someone’s story or TikTok feed. The hashtag #ThirstyForMore tied everything together well. It was not just about consuming more, but about feeling more, doing more, and being more, all on your own terms.

The music, colour palette, editing, and natural performances gave the campaign a light, spontaneous feel. It looked like freedom in motion. By not forcing a product placement in every frame, Pepsi let the brand be the backdrop to real life, which is exactly where consumers want it to be.

Picture Credits: Pepsico

What Could Pepsi's Thirsty For More Campaign Have Done Better

While the campaign was emotionally strong, I felt like it missed a big opportunity to go further. The video ended, and I was left inspired, but also wondering what to do next. The campaign gave viewers a mood, but didn’t give them a way to participate.

That’s where something like a microsite could have added real value. Imagine a digital space called “My Thirsty Moments”, where users could upload photos, short clips, or small stories that show what they love doing. Whether it’s painting, singing in the shower, skateboarding, writing poetry, or just watching the stars, it could be a place where everyone’s small joys are celebrated.

The idea is to create a platform where people feel seen. These scrapbooks could be shared on social media using the same #ThirstyForMore hashtag, but now with a personal story behind each post. It becomes more than a trend, it becomes a living, breathing archive of people being themselves.

Pepsi could also include gamification. Users could unlock digital badges like “Bold Move,” “Creative Spark,” or “Kind Heart” based on what they upload. Weekly prompts like “Try something new this week” or “Share your happiest memory” could keep the space alive and dynamic. The most inspiring submissions could be featured on Pepsi’s official pages or even turned into real-life rewards, like limited merch or access to events.

Adding a leaderboard or community page could show how people from different places and cultures are expressing themselves in unique ways. It builds social value and encourages repeat interaction. The idea isn’t just about making noise online. It’s about creating something lasting, a digital diary of joy and individuality, powered by the Pepsi brand.

This way, the campaign wouldn’t just live on YouTube or Instagram. It would become part of people’s daily lives, even if just in small ways. That’s the kind of brand connection that lasts much longer than a 60-second video.

Video Credits: Pepsico

My Take as a Marketing Student

As a marketing student, I found this campaign to be a great example of emotional storytelling. Pepsi understood its audience well and resisted the urge to oversell. The message felt more like a reminder than a promotion, a reminder that our passions are valid and that time spent on what we love is never wasted.

But campaigns can be more than a message. They can be a movement. And to turn a good story into a great campaign, brands need to give people a place to take action. The emotional tone was strong, but the next layer of participation and personalisation was missing.

If I were on the strategy team, I would pitch the idea of making this campaign interactive. A digital scrapbook, weekly creative prompts, badges, shoutouts, all of these small elements turn viewers into participants. And when people start to feel like they’re part of the campaign, the brand becomes part of their lifestyle, not just their feed.

In a way, this campaign is a reminder that modern branding is not about being in front of people - it’s about being with them. That’s what Pepsi almost achieved here. They opened the door. But they could have gone one step further by inviting people in.

Campaign Scorecard

Element	Score (out of 10)
Concept and Originality	9.5
Strategic Relevance	9.0
Consumer Engagement	7.0
Social Media Impact	8.0
Scalability	7.5
Total Average	8.2

Final thoughts

Pepsi’s “Thirsty For More” is not just a campaign, it’s a feeling. It tells us that the little things we do, the passions we have, the time we spend on what we love, all of it matters. The line “If you love it, it’s never a waste” might just be one of the most powerful slogans of the year. It challenges years of pressure, shame, and judgment that many people carry.

Still, the journey could have gone a bit further. With a digital layer that encouraged real participation, the campaign could have become a long-term community, not just a short-term ad.

But even as it stands, this campaign shows the power of speaking to people with honesty. It proves that great marketing doesn’t have to scream. Sometimes, all it takes is a gentle reminder that who you are and what you love is enough.

Found this analysis insightful? Check out my strategic breakdown on Sydney Sweeney's recently launched bath water soap.

~ Siddh

Breaking down campaigns, one story at a time.

TL;DR - Campaign Snapshot

Campaign Name:Thirsty For More

Brand: Pepsi

Celebrity Collaborator: David Beckham

Industry: Beverages / FMCG

Format: Brand film + social-first content with UGC push

Launch Date: March 2025

Objective: Emotional rebranding, Gen Z connection, social engagement

Key Results: Massive organic reach across Instagram and YouTube#ThirstyForMore trending across lifestyle postsHigh brand sentiment, strong recall in 18–34 audience

What Worked: Authentic message, emotionally relevant tagline, relatable storytelling

What Didn’t: Lack of interactivity, no microsite or long-term engagement layer

Student Take: Honest and emotionally spot-on, but missed a chance to create a deeper, ongoing brand experience

Overall Score: 8.2/10