Pepsi Partners with Celebrity Creative Director, Choreographer and Actor Beau Casper Smart to Create an Immersive Music and Dance Experience on International Dance Day; Releases Limited-Edition Set of Pepsi and Pepsi Zero Sugar Cans Inspired by U.S. Latin Music Hotspots
PURCHASE, N.Y., April 27, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Latin music is having more than a moment. It's been a mainstay in Hispanic communities across the U.S., and its popularity continues to transcend mainstream as new fans discover, embrace and move to its distinct rhythms and sounds. Just in time for International Dance Day on April 29, Pepsi invites fans of Latin music to meet in the metaverse for the first-ever Muévelo con Pepsi Latin fusion dance master class led by celebrity creative director, choreographer and actor, Beau Casper Smart, and featuring some of today's most popular Latin music genres. Participants will put their dance skills to the test and learn unique moves with high-energy choreography to the beat of five Latin music genres, including Banda, Cumbia, Norteño, Salsa and Reggaeton.
To mark the occasion, PepsiCo's Hispanic Business Unit is launching a special collection of Pepsi and Pepsi Zero Sugar cans that showcase these five genres in select U.S. cities where each has been widely embraced, with nods to the people, instruments and places where Latin music fuses into the community. The exclusive cans are a special incentive to step into the virtual dance floor and can only be collected by joining the Muévelo con Pepsi dance class on April 29. The first 400 participants to join the metaverse dance class, find the giveaway redemption screen and enter their information will receive the complete Pepsi and Pepsi Zero Sugar can collection.*
"Latin music has always been known for its distinct rhythms and ability to bring people together – especially on the dance floor. We're excited that Beau Casper Smart, one of the most influential creative directors and Latino choreographers in the music and entertainment industry, will take center stage in the metaverse to share his knowledge and passion for dance with all who join," said Esperanza Teasdale, Vice President & General Manager, Hispanic Business Unit, PepsiCo Beverages North America. "Pepsi is a brand known for instigating moments of unapologetic enjoyment, and this International Dance Day, we welcome everyone to celebrate their shared passion of music and dance in the metaverse and through the limited edition can collection."
Muévelo con Pepsi in the Metaverse
On Saturday, April 29, at 2:00 p.m. ET, participants are invited to visit MueveloConPepsi.com and get ready to move. Once in the experience, participants can navigate the environment and visit different dance zones, each corresponding to one of the five Latin music genres – Banda, Cumbia, Norteño, Salsa and Reggaeton – and featuring custom choreography led by Casper. At the center of the experience is the Muévelo con Pepsi main stage where Casper will bring all the steps together in a single mashup that you'll want to show off in real life, too. Not a dancer? Not a problem. Because just like music, dancing is for everyone. Casper will break down his choreography step-by-step, making sure everyone finds their footing. Along the way, users will have the chance to unlock special giveaways, including the free, limited-edition Pepsi and Pepsi Zero Sugar can collection for the first 400 participants that discover and complete the redemption screen.
"I'm proud to partner with Pepsi to celebrate the rich diversity of Latin music on International Dance Day through my biggest passion – dance," said Smart. "Latin music has been a continual source of inspiration throughout my career, and I'm excited to be a part of this campaign that celebrates the universal language of music," he continued. "No matter your dance skill level, we invite everyone to come find their step at Muévelo con Pepsi in the metaverse, and grab yourself a free set of the limited-edition can collection."
Limited-Edition Pepsi and Pepsi Zero Sugar Can Collection
Inspired by the vibrant U.S. cities where Latin music continues to grow in popularity, the exclusive Pepsi and Pepsi Zero Sugar can collection celebrates five of the many different genres that have transcended their countries to become chart-toppers in the U.S. Each of the cans is dedicated to one of the five genres – Banda, Cumbia, Norteño, Salsa and Reggaeton – and include artistic nods to the culture, people and places in each city where these genres have become a part of the community. The musicians featured on each can hold an instrument or piece of equipment unique to their genre, which collectively form a single Latin fusion band when all cans are placed together side-by-side.
- Los Angeles - Banda: Scenes of a laid-back Los Angeles lifestyle are depicted on the can where the love for street vendors and celebration of lowrider car culture merge with beachside scenes, outdoor activities and plenty of dancing to the lively brass sounds of Banda music.
- Chicago - Cumbia: The wind blows through Chicago's iconic city skyline where architectural landmarks and the food truck community create the backdrop for the Cumbia can. The booming and resonating notes of the accordion play across the scene to create upbeat, bold rhythms that have locals dancing anywhere the music plays.
- Texas - Norteño: Everything is bigger in Texas, including the love of Norteño music. The can design features nods to Texas' many nuances – from its nickname of the Lone Star State and being home to the NASA Space Center to the glittering city skylines of Dallas and Houston and the vast desert landscapes. The bajo sexto (sixth bass) is front and center as one of the key instruments helping create the authentic Norteño sound.
- New York - Salsa: The Salsa can has a design that is uniquely New York and pays tribute to the city's most recognizable landmarks like the Statue of Liberty, Yankee Stadium and the Brooklyn Bridge, with visual callouts to New York's fast-paced lifestyle, like cabs, food carts and dancing in the streets. Central to the Salsa sound is the conga drum creating a high-tempo beat that moves your feet.
- Miami - Reggaeton: Follow this music phenomenon all the way down to Miami's Calle Ocho where Latin rhythms and beats fuse to bring people to the dance floor. The can design is inspired by the city's art deco architecture, vintage style cars, views of iconic Miami Beach and swaying palm trees to create a sunny scene in celebration of Reggaeton music.
The Muévelo Con Pepsi metaverse dance class is just one of many new ways that Pepsi continues to connect fans with their favorite passion points, especially music. In 2022, Pepsi announced the new Pepsi Music Lab, an annual academy committed to shining a spotlight on the next generation of superstars by removing industry barriers and providing performance opportunities, mentorship and coaching, brand-building workshops, content capture, radio amplification and more. Three Latin artists were chosen for the Pepsi Music Lab Class of '22 – '23 including: Samy Hawk, a Venezuelan artist whose sound blends rap and hip-hop with elements of funk and pop; Nohemy, who infuses her Puerto Rican heritage into a modern Latin Pop-Urban sound; and SERGIO who derives his Latin Pop sound from his Mexican-American NorCal upbringing. On April 29, all three artists will join the Muévelo Con Pepsi metaverse experience and invite their fans to do the same.
For more information about Muévelo con Pepsi, visit MueveloConPepsi.com.
*Open to legal U.S. residents of 50 US and DC, 18 or older at time of registration. Void where prohibited. Registration begins 4/29/23, 2:00:00 p.m. ET & ends 5/1/23, 11:59:59 p.m. ET. Limit one claim per person/email address. While Supplies Last. Not eligible for PepsiCo employees.
About PepsiCo
PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers more than one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated more than $86 billion in net revenue in 2022, driven by a complementary beverage and convenient foods portfolio that includes Lay's, Doritos, Cheetos, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Mountain Dew, Quaker, and SodaStream. PepsiCo's product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including many iconic brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales.
Guiding PepsiCo is our vision to Be the Global Leader in Beverages and Convenient Foods by Winning with pep+ (PepsiCo Positive). pep+ is our strategic end-to-end transformation that puts sustainability and human capital at the center of how we will create value and growth by operating within planetary boundaries and inspiring positive change for planet and people. For more information, visit www.pepsico.com, and follow on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn @PepsiCo.
SOURCE PepsiCo, Inc.
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