Pepsi partners with celebrated creative director, choreographer, and actor Beau Casper Smart to create an immersive music and dance experience on International Dance Day; launches limited edition Pepsi and Pepsi Zero Sugar cans inspired by Latin music hotspots in the U.S.
PURCHASE, N.Y., April 27, 2023 – Latin music is having more than a moment. It has been a mainstay in U.S. Hispanic communities, and its popularity continues to transcend the mainstream as new fans discover, embrace and move to the beat of its distinctive rhythms and sounds.
As International Dance Day approaches on April 29, Pepsi is inviting Latin music enthusiasts to converge in the metaverse for the inaugural Muévelo con Pepsi Latin Fusion Dance Master Class. The class, led by distinguished creative director, choreographer, and actor Beau Casper Smart, showcases some of the most sought-after Latin music genres of today.
Participants will test their dance skills and learn unique moves with high-energy choreography to the rhythm of five Latin music genres, including Banda, Cumbia, Norteño, Salsa, and Reggaeton.
To mark this occasion, PepsiCo’s Hispanic Business Unit is unveiling a unique set of Pepsi and Pepsi Zero Sugar cans that feature five distinct genres in select U.S. cities where each has gained widespread popularity, with references to the individuals, instruments, and locations where Latin music interweaves with the community.
These exclusive cans serve as a special incentive to join the virtual dance floor and can only be obtained by participating in the Muévelo con Pepsi dance class on April 29.
The first 400 participants who sign up for the metaverse dance class, locate the sweepstakes redemption screen, and input their details will receive the complete set of Pepsi and Pepsi Zero Sugar cans*.
“Latin music is renowned for its distinctive rhythms and ability to unite individuals, particularly on the dance floor. We are delighted that Beau Casper Smart, one of the most influential Latin creative directors and choreographers in the music and entertainment realm, will take center stage in the metaverse to impart his wisdom and enthusiasm for dance to all who participate,” stated Esperanza Teasdale, Vice President and General Manager of PepsiCo Beverages North America’s Hispanic Business Unit. “Pepsi is a brand synonymous with sparking moments of unbridled enjoyment, and this International Dance Day, we urge everyone to commemorate their shared love for music and dance in the metaverse and via the limited edition can collection.”
Muévelo con Pepsi in the Metaverse
At 2:00 p.m. ET on Saturday, April 29, attendees are encouraged to head over to MueveloConPepsi.com and prepare to groove. Upon entering the experience, participants can navigate the environment and explore various dance zones, each representing one of the five Latin music genres – Banda, Cumbia, Norteño, Salsa, and Reggaeton – and showcasing bespoke choreography led by Casper.
At the center of the experience is the Muévelo con Pepsi main stage, where Casper will put all the steps together in a unique mashup that you’ll want to show off in real life, too.
Not a dancer? No problem. Because, just like music, dancing is for everyone. Casper will break down his choreography step by step, making sure everyone finds their balance.
Along the way, users will have the opportunity to unlock special gifts, including the free collection of limited edition Pepsi and Pepsi Zero Sugar cans for the first 400 participants who discover and complete the redemption screen.
“I am proud to partner with Pepsi to celebrate the rich diversity of Latin music on International Dance Day through my greatest passion: dancing,” said Smart. “Latin music has been a continuous source of inspiration throughout my career, and I’m thrilled to be a part of this campaign that celebrates the universal language of music,” he continued. “No matter your level of dance, we invite everyone to come find their step at Muévelo con Pepsi in the metaverse, and get your hands on a free set of the limited edition can collection.”
Pepsi and Pepsi Zero Sugar limited edition can collection
The exclusive Pepsi and Pepsi Zero Sugar can collection, inspired by the dynamic U.S. cities where Latin music continues to gain popularity, pays homage to five of the many distinct genres that have transcended their origins to become chart-topping hits in the United States. Each can is dedicated to one of the five genres – Banda, Cumbia, Norteño, Salsa, and Reggaeton – and features artistic references to the culture, individuals, and places in each city where these genres have become an integral part of the community.
The musicians portrayed on each can hold an instrument or equipment that is unique to their genre, forming a distinctive Latin fusion band when all the cans are placed side by side.
- Los Angeles – Banda: They can showcase scenes of the laid-back Los Angeles lifestyle, combining a love of street vendors and appreciation for lowrider car culture with beachside scenery, outdoor activities, and plenty of dancing to the lively beat of Banda music.
- Chicago – Cumbia: The wind blows through the iconic Chicago skyline, where architectural landmarks and the food truck community create the backdrop for the Cumbia can. The booming, echoing notes of the accordion ring throughout the stage to create upbeat, sassy rhythms that get locals dancing wherever the music plays.
- Texas – Norteño: Everything is bigger in Texas, including the love of Norteño music. The can design nods to the many nuances of Texas, from its nickname of the Lone Star State and being home to NASA’s Space Center to the glittering urban skylines of Dallas and Houston and the vast desert landscapes. The bajo sexto is one of the key instruments in creating the authentic norteño sound.
- New York – Salsa: The Salsa can has a uniquely New York design and pays homage to the city’s most iconic landmarks, such as the Statue of Liberty, Yankee Stadium, and the Brooklyn Bridge, with visual references to the fast-paced New York lifestyle, such as cabs, food carts and dancing in the streets. The conga drum is a central element of the salsa sound, creating a fast-paced rhythm that gets the feet moving.
- Miami – Reggaeton: Follow this musical phenomenon to Miami’s Calle Ocho, where Latin rhythms merge to get people on the dance floor. The can design draws inspiration from the city’s art deco architecture, vintage 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 innovative ways that Pepsi is connecting fans with their beloved passions, particularly music. In 2022, Pepsi unveiled the Pepsi Music Lab, an annual academy devoted to showcasing the next generation of superstars by dismantling industry barriers and providing performance opportunities, mentorship and coaching, branding workshops, content capture, radio amplification, and many more.
The Pepsi Music Lab Class of ’22 – ’23 features three Latin artists, including Samy Hawk, a Venezuelan artist whose sound blends rap and hip-hop with funk and pop elements; Nohemy, who infuses his Puerto Rican heritage into a contemporary Latin-urban pop sound; and SERGIO, whose Latin pop sound is influenced by his Mexican-American upbringing in NorCal.
On April 29, all three artists will participate in the Muévelo Con Pepsi metaverse experience and encourage their fans to do the same.
For more information about Muévelo con Pepsi, visit MuéveloConPepsi.com.
*Open to legal residents of 50 U.S. and DC, 18 years of age or older at the time of registration. Void where prohibited. Registration begins 4/29/23 at 2:00 p.m. ET and ends 5/1/23 at 11:59:59 p.m. ET. Limit one application per person/email address. While supplies last. Not open to PepsiCo employees.
About PepsiCo
PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers more than 1 billion times daily across more than 200 countries and territories worldwide. In 2022, PepsiCo recorded over $86 billion in net revenue, propelled by a complementary product line of beverages and convenience foods that encompasses Lay’s, Doritos, Cheetos, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Mountain Dew, Quaker, and SodaStream.
PepsiCo’s product portfolio has an extensive selection of foods and beverages to enjoy, including numerous iconic brands that generate more than $1 billion in estimated annual retail sales each.
PepsiCo’s vision is to become the global leader in convenient beverages and foods by winning with pep+ (PepsiCo Positive). pep+ represents our comprehensive strategic transformation, placing sustainability and human capital at the heart of how we generate value and growth by operating within planetary boundaries and inspiring positive change for the planet and people.
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