Full of Detroit Soul

Initiative Overview

Full of Detroit Soul

For over 80 years, Pepsi has been a part of Detroit’s creative culture and community. With a manufacturing facility that employs more than 400 residents, we work daily with hundreds of pouring partners across the city. That’s why we know how special Detroit is. The unique energy, uncrushable spirit and unmistakable vibe that shines through the city’s diverse, talented people. To celebrate the vibrant soul of the city and partner with its community, we launched “Full of Detroit Soul” – an ode to the city and the people who give it a swagger all its own.

Residents have seen this multi-year campaign come to life in a multitude of ways, including a citywide artwork display that blanketed the city in billboards and wallscapes featuring work by some of the Motor City’s most dynamic artists. In support of Detroit Black Restaurant Week, we partnered with a local organization to drive patrons to visit 54 participating Black-owned restaurants and food trucks. Looking to enrich and showcase some of the city’s incredible musicians, we launched our local Music Mentorship Program which helped up-and-coming artists with a crash course in music. And to bring that unapologetic energy to life for Pepsi fans across the city, we created limited-edition “Full of Detroit Soul” packaging, featuring colorful visuals of the sports, architecture and culture that locals recognized as integral parts of the city. All of this work is just part of our ongoing commitment to a city we love and the communities that make it unlike any other.

Full of Detroit Soul

SEE THE BEAUTY AND CREATIVITY THAT FLOWS THROUGH THE CITY

Community Impact

Black Restaurant Week

To celebrate the return of Detroit Black Restaurant Week, we partnered with MLN8 to drive consumers to Black-owned restaurants across the Motor City. Blanketing the city with billboards spotlighting participating restaurants, we increased awareness of Black-owned restaurants and invited locals to support the diverse culinary talent that makes the city so special. Additionally, we awarded $15,000 to Joe Louis Southern Kitchen to help cover the new business’ repairs from flood damage. “The synergetic partnership with Pepsi as part of Detroit Black Restaurant Week will allow us to do some amazing things,” said DBRW Founder Kwaku Osei-Bonsu. “With their support pushing our message across the city, we hope that more Detroiters will be inspired to partake and discover their next favorite local eatery.”

JOE LOUIS SOUTHERN KITCHEN

HELPING THE NEXT GENERATION OF BLACK-OWNED BUSINESSES

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Music Mentorship Program

From Aretha Franklin to Queen Naija, Detroit is recognized as the birthplace of so much incredible musical talent. To support those voices still finding their audience, we launched the “Full of Detroit Soul” Music Mentorship Program to help pass the torch to the next generation of musical excellence.

Tapping nine local artists, we guided them through a three-part crash course in music:

Executive Mentorship Lessons
 Advice and insights from industry veterans, included Brandra Ringo (Quality Control Music), Shawn Barron (Motown Records), and Carl Chery (Spotify / Rap Caviar)

Studio Time at The Village Detroit 
Each artist got time working with Grammy and Billboard award-winning products and songwriters to create new hit tracks.

Single Launch 
Fans voted for their favorite songs as the artists opened for Queen Naija during a special Pepsi live stream music event.

SuperCoolWicked

@supercoolwicked – A musician who specializes in experimental pop, creating new sounds at the intersection of analog and digital.

SYEED ALI

@4810graystreet – Rapper and Detroit native, his music is lifestyle rap dealing with the everyday experience of the city and its culture.

TINY JAG

@tinyjag – Produces what she calls “therapy pop,” or alternative pop, that is cathartic, gritty and covered in authentic expression.

SHAYNE

@shayneshalome – A Detroit recording artist who loves to make feel-good music for people to relate and find their own joy in.

NAPPI DEVI

@nappidevi – Mixing hip hop and R&B, he tries to be, first and foremost, authentic and spontaneous in his music.

LVRBOY

@planet.lvr – An alternative R&B artist inspired by Detroit life, love and the mix of cultures that come together in his city.

KULTURE

@imkulture – Hip hop recording artist that leverages all of his influences to translate his experiences across different musical concepts.

JOHDI

@johdiofficial – An R&B singer that brings a fresh perspective to the classic sounds of Detroit soul.

JAHZ WATTS

@jahzwatts – A talented singer who wants to refine male R&B delivery and help listeners feel and relate to everything he does.

MUSIC MENTORSHIP PROGRAM

SEE WHAT DETROIT MEANS TO THESE RISING ARTISTS

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313 Day

As a continuation of our “Full of Detroit Soul” campaign, we partnered with DoorDash to celebrate “313 Day” by offering $3.13 off on DoorDash to any local resident who added a Pepsi to their order from over 2,000 area restaurants.