During the 1960s, the president of the Pepsi-Cola Co., Alfred Steele, was determined to create a new and enhanced image for what is now one of America’s most popular soft drinks. He accomplished his goal with the highly successful “Pepsi Generation” campaign.
Today, a new Pepsi Generation has arisen, this time as a growing group of dedicated memorabilia collectors.
They have to be dedicated, says Bob Stoddard, considered the leading authority in this area of collecting, because early Pepsi artifacts are rare. (It was invented in 1898 in New Bern, N.C., by druggist Caleb Bradham. The company was formed in 1900.)
Before Steele’s switch to television advertising, limited amounts of advertising materials for Pepsi had been produced. Due to two bankruptcies and several moves, much of the material that had been produced was destroyed or lost.
So no one can say what Pepsi Cola memorabilia exists. That makes this genre one of the most challenging of all, says Stoddard, author of a new book on the subject (his third), “The Encyclopedia of Pepsi Cola Collectibles” (Krause, $34.95). It contains hundreds of color photos, current prices on everything from bottle caps to matchbooks and it includes more history on the company.
To help collectors, the book includes a membership application for the Pepsi-Cola Collectors Club, P.O. Box 817, Claremont, CA 91711.