Which 1963 Pepsi campaign introduced the phrase “The Pepsi Generation”?

Pepsi introduced “The Pepsi Generation” in 1963 as a campaign aimed at associating the soft drink with youthful energy and modern lifestyles.

The campaign marked a shift from advertising based mainly on product features toward advertising based on identity and audience culture. Pepsi’s commercials portrayed young people enjoying leisure, music, travel, and social life, helping the brand distinguish itself from Coca-Cola.

The phrase became particularly important in the so-called cola wars because it framed Pepsi as the choice of a younger generation. Later Pepsi advertising continued to use celebrities, popular music, and youth-oriented imagery built on this positioning.

The campaign’s name is sometimes confused with “The Pepsi-Cola Playhouse,” an earlier radio and television program, or with later Pepsi slogans such as “The Choice of a New Generation.” Those were separate marketing messages. “The Pepsi Generation” was the 1963 identity campaign that gave the brand its generational appeal.