HERA x PEPSI
Saving a collab launch under hard constraints
Pepsi and HERA’s collaboration began as a social moment that audiences loved, and quickly moved into a merch-led campaign themed around “Here for More” connecting Pepsi’s “Thirsty for More” with culture slang (“here for it”). The campaign needed influencer kits and surprise pop-up activations across UK cities, delivered on a tight timeline.
Overview
Pepsi and HERA’s collaboration began as a social moment that audiences loved, and quickly moved into a merch-led campaign themed around “Here for More”, connecting Pepsi’s “Thirsty for More” with culture slang (“here for it”). The campaign needed influencer kits and surprise pop-up activations across UK cities, delivered on a tight timeline.
The challenge
joined last-minute with a non-negotiable constraint: a clear lockbox format had already been purchased and contractually baked into the partnership, intended to drive influencer posting. The kit had to feel premium, work for two influencer groups (with and without the lockbox due to supply), and satisfy stakeholders with very different preferences while production pressure was high on feasibility, cost, and lead time
My role
Led the influencer kit structural + visual design, including campaign graphics, unboxing flow, messaging, inserts, and brand integration
Managed stakeholder alignment across HERA, Pepsi marketing/design, production, and procurement, using weekly check-ins + a live progress rationale doc
Built 3D visualisation + motion to communicate scale/interaction and explain cost/complexity early
Supported pop-up execution, including recommending a token-based “winning can” mechanic after early concepts proved unrealistic
What we did
Influencer Box
To bring both brand worlds together and elevate the unboxing experience:
Minimal exterior (HERA-aligned) with a high-impact interior in Pepsi blue
A lid/side-flap reveal that staged the contents and created space for messaging
Premium print finishes: electric blue foil + spot UV pulse around the can (brand cue without overpowering HERA)
A clear, designed instructional insert explaining how to unlock/claim merch + a campaign one-liner placed at the reveal moment
Practical engineering: a secure can-hold using cardboard structures + glue dots, keeping the kit stable for shipping and filming
Adaptable design to allow for use with or without lockbox for different influencer needs.
The original activation concept used a code-cracking card to vend a can, with “winner” cans hiding t-shirts inside. In testing, it was overly complex and the merch-filled cans didn’t look authentic, making wins easy to spot. I proposed a simpler mechanic: real cans vended as normal, with a discreet token insert at the base to indicate a prize.
I then designed the vending machine to look as close to our normal vending machines as possible, but when you get closer and look from the front you see the collab assets all across the front screen with a reveal of our core message ‘Here for More’ on the can drop device.
The pop-up ran as one-day-only activations across six locations around the UK. I designed the vending machine graphics and the token can system to keep the experience fast, fair, and visually consistent with the Pepsi × HERA campaign world.
