PepsiCo named Mark Kirkham as CMO of U.S. drinks, efficient April 7, per particulars shared with Advertising Dive. The unit homes manufacturers together with Pepsi, Mountain Dew, Bubly, Starry and Gatorade. Kirkham, who has over 14 years of expertise on the firm, takes over the function from longtime advertising and marketing chief Greg Lyons, who’s leaving PepsiCo to pursue an exterior alternative.
Kirkham in October grew to become senior vp of glowing drinks for PepsiCo North America, a transfer that noticed him return to the U.S. after overseeing worldwide drinks for the CPG large. Lyons had served as CMO of the sprawling U.S. drinks group since 2018, a formidable run for a C-suite spot that’s vulnerable to churn. Former Pepsi CMO Todd Kaplan, one other longtime PepsiCo govt, left the corporate final June for Kraft Heinz.
“Mark is a multi-disciplined marketer and inventive storyteller with deep, world expertise within the beverage enterprise. He led the step-changed worldwide strategy to accelerating zero sugar and increasing our portfolio to handle the wants of evolving shoppers,” stated Ram Krishnan, CEO of PepsiCo Drinks U.S., in an announcement across the promotion. “In working with Mark over time, I’ve been impressed by his imaginative strategy to scalable downside fixing; he’s well-poised to tackle this function and lead us into the subsequent chapter of innovation and development.”
PepsiCo within the announcement highlighted a number of of Kirkham’s previous wins, akin to main a well-received rebrand for Pepsi in worldwide markets and an iteration of the tender drink’s well-known Pepsi Problem marketing campaign centered on its zero-sugar providing. Kirkham’s bona fides within the better-for-you enviornment communicate to the place PepsiCo’s strategic focus is shifting.
The corporate earlier this month acquired prebiotic soda model Poppi for practically $2 billion, teeing up one other battle within the soda wars saga as chief rival Coca-Cola additionally dips its toes right into a class that’s profitable favor with key Gen Z and millennial shoppers. Prebiotic sodas, which promote advantages to intestine well being and in addition embody disruptor manufacturers like Olipop, make up a market that’s estimated to succeed in $3.5 billion in worth by 2032. How Poppi might be dealt with on the advertising and marketing entrance probably gained’t be clear till the closing of the deal, which remains to be topic to regulatory approval.
PepsiCo switching up advertising and marketing management for considered one of its flagship divisions comes at a difficult juncture. Like many within the meals and beverage trade, the marketer is grappling with extra price-conscious buyers and ongoing world uncertainty. Demand for its snacks and drinks once more dropped in North America in This autumn 2024, although natural income climbed 2.1% for the end-of-year interval.
Different modifications of late at PepsiCo drinks embrace a visible refresh and repositioning for Mountain Dew that has seen the soda embrace what executives name “energizing refreshment” and ramp up advertising and marketing round a brand new model character, the Mountain Dude.
