Right here, right now - Pepsi | Clapboard Ad Archive
Pepsi’s Right Here, Right Now summer campaign, launched in China in 2017 by agency Civilization, is a sweeping film that charts the kinetic evolution of Chinese youth culture since the brand’s market debut in 1981—a pivotal period of social, cultural, and economic transformation. Positioned squarely within the drinks (non-alcoholic) market category, the campaign eschews high-concept stunts or celebrity testimonials in favor of what Clapboard’s taxonomy identifies as FORMAT#10—Associated User Imagery, meticulously reconstructing era-defining experiences through the eyes of relatable and aspirational Chinese youth. Civilization’s execution deftly weaves together milestone moments across decades: from the charged emergence of underground rock and the magnetic pull of modern pop idols, to stories of transformative romance, gender empowerment, growing hedonistic pursuits, and the spread of new entertainment vehicles—television, film, online gaming, reality shows, and the visceral spectacle of extreme sports. These vignettes are staged with an obsessive commitment to period authenticity, using large, era-specific casts and extensive location shoots, rendering a living archive of changing generational dreams, anxieties, and ambitions throughout China’s rapid modernization. What separates this campaign from countless other retrospective brand films is its refusal to use nostalgia as mere window dressing; instead, the film positions Pepsi as an organic presence embedded within the shifting aspirations and social rituals of each new generation, acting as both chronicler and participant in the cultural tides it surveys. The cinematic scope and production scale underline Pepsi’s long-standing ability to interpret and accompany the shared rites of passage for Chinese youth—whether that is the intimate thrill of first love in the 80s, the rebellious spirit of 90s subcultures, or the hyper-connected, media-saturated realities of the new millennium—which ultimately forges authenticity and contemporary relevance within a highly competitive drinks landscape. Rather than relying on product close-ups, overt visual branding, or the archetypal problem/solution creative structure, Right Here, Right Now convincingly roots Pepsi in the everyday yet epochal lives of its audience, delivering a campaign that operates as both creative time capsule and statement of enduring cultural fluency. Clapboard rates this 71/100. As the industry heightens its focus on cultural proximity and living brand relevance, Right Here, Right Now signals the value in thoughtful generational storytelling that embeds the brand as an authentic part of the audience’s own ongoing narrative.