Pepsi is Crashing Summer BBQs Because Grilling Deserves Pepsi

To show how Pepsi enhances the flavor of your favorite grilled foods, Pepsi Crashers swap their blue jumpsuits for summer fits and infiltrate cookouts in new creative!

Nothing says summer like the sizzle of the grill and a cooler filled with ice-cold bevvies, but if you’re not pairing your BBQ foods with a crisp, refreshing PEPSI®, you’re leaving taste on the table. This summer, Pepsi is reminding people that it’s not the size of your spatula or the red-hot heat of the charcoal that defines your grill game — it’s making sure you and your guests have Pepsi to enhance the flavor of the food. Today, the brand unveils its Grilling Deserves Pepsi: BBQ Crashers/Carne Asada Merece Pepsi creative to show that summer’s most iconic foods — from burgers and brats to carne asada, ribs and grilled corn — taste even better with a cool, crisp Pepsi in hand.

The Pepsi Crashers Have Landed

Trading in their signature blue jumpsuits for Hawaiian shirts and sandals, Pepsi Crashers are infiltrating cookouts across the country, co-opting inflatable kiddie pools as Pepsi coolers and swapping out Coke boxes for Pepsi 12-packs. Their stealthy strategy is simple: crash the cookout, fill the cooler, and watch as guests reach for the best cola on the table — a Pepsi. The burgers are hot, the reactions are scorching, and the proof is in every icy cool sip. Fans can follow along and watch the mission unfold through a variety of English and Spanish language television ads, on the Pepsi YouTube channel here and across Instagram, Facebook, X, and TikTok.

“We know Grilling Deserves Pepsi, and we’re willing to crash as many BBQs as it takes to prove it,” said JP Bittencourt, Senior VP Marketing – Sparkling. “Pepsi has the bold flavor and refreshing fizz that cuts through the smoky, saucy richness of barbecue favorites, from burgers and hot dogs to steak and more. As the heat turns up this summer, we’re showing up to make sure every bite is consumed with the perfect sip — an ice-cold Pepsi – otherwise, you’re leaving favor on the table.”

BBQ takeovers aren’t the only way Pepsi is heating up the summer. Fans can also score deals all season long:

• Instacart: Stock Up and Save over Memorial Day weekend (5/18 - 5/26) with $7.00 off when you spend $35 on Pepsi-Cola® beverages and food items.
• National retail: Receive $3 off when you purchase four participating Pepsi-Cola® beverages available, via participating retailer loyalty apps (5/9-7/6).

To stay current on the latest from Grilling Deserves Pepsi: BBQ Crashers, follow Pepsi on Instagram, Facebook, X, and YouTube (@Pepsi).

Food Deserves Pepsi™

Grilling Deserves Pepsi: BBQ Crashers/Carne Asada Merece Pepsi is the latest iteration of the brand’s Food Deserves Pepsi™ platform, which launched in 2024 with disruptive campaigns like Pepsi Chase Cars and Undercover Cups featuring the brand’s fleet of “blue jumpsuits.” This summer, the brand continues to build momentum with a fresh suite of national television spots spotlighting the bold pairing of Pepsi and grilled favorites.