Pepsi is cracking open a cold one from the past, and David Beckham is riding shotgun.
In its latest campaign, Pepsi brings back one of its most memorable ad characters: Beckham’s Wild West cowboy, first seen over two decades ago in the brand’s 2002 commercial. Set in a dusty desert town, the new ad sees the football legend step back into his boots and hat, this time older, cooler, and with a sharper edge.
The commercial plays out like a mini-movie: Beckham arrives in a sun-scorched frontier town, stares down a crew of rowdy locals, and casually reaches for a chilled Pepsi as the music swells. It’s theatrical, cheeky, and unmistakably Pepsi. While the original ad had a playful spaghetti western vibe, this reboot injects a more stylized, modern flair, slick cinematography, quick cuts, and a confident sense of self-awareness.
Why now? Nostalgia marketing is having a major moment, and Pepsi is leaning into it hard. By reviving one of its most iconic campaigns and one of the world’s most recognizable faces, the brand is reminding audiences of its cultural legacy, while still speaking to a younger generation with a taste for cinematic storytelling.
The timing also aligns with Pepsi’s broader rebrand, which includes a refreshed logo and packaging. This Beckham spot is part of a larger push to blend the past and future, proving that legacy can still feel exciting when reimagined the right way.
Key Takeaway:
Pepsi’s new Wild West ad is more than a throwback, it’s a smart, high-production nostalgia play that taps into collective memory while reinforcing the brand’s modern identity. With Beckham back in the saddle, Pepsi is betting big on the power of familiarity, and it just might pay off.