Pepsi Co. holds dominant share with chain accounts and major channels. The growth opportunity sits in the long tail — independent restaurants, cafés, and bars across 77 provinces — and that tail is hard to reach with conventional brand media.
The challenge
Independent operators don't respond to top-down brand campaigns the same way large accounts do. They read trade content, attend peer events, and trust word of mouth from operators they recognize. Standard awareness media gets impressions; it doesn't generate qualified leads from this segment.
What we did
We layered four channels across the PenguinX ecosystem to deliver both reach and a measurable lead pipeline.
- Founder-led editorial featuring trade-relevant Pepsi product stories
- On-floor activations at TRC, Restech, and CafCon to capture in-person leads
- Peer-hosted #LongKaek touchpoints in provincial chapters
- Direct funnel from earned content to Pepsi's merchant program
Why it worked
The program reached operators in regions where pure media spend rarely converts, and it produced lead volume that fed Pepsi's trade team for months after the campaign closed. The combination of trusted content and physical brand presence did what neither could do alone.
