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{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2022}}
{{short description|Soft drink from PepsiCo}}
{{Infobox Beverage
| name = Pepsi Blue
| logo = Pepsi blue drink logo.png
| logo_size = 200
| image = 2021 Pepsi Blue 20 oz bottle.png
| image_size = 150
| caption = Bottle of the relaunched Pepsi Blue
| type = [[Soft drink]]
| manufacturer = [[PepsiCo]]
| origin = United States
| introduced = {{start date|2002|8}}<ref name="Pepsi Blue is Coming"/><br>{{start date|2021|5}} (North American re-release)
| discontinued= {{end date|2004|5}} (first run)<ref name="bevreview">{{cite web|last1=Tanner|first1=Steve|title=Discontinued: Pepsi Blue|url=http://www.bevreview.com/2004/05/12/discontinued-pepsi-blue/|website=BevReview.com|access-date=September 4, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111229184810/http://www.bevreview.com/2004/05/12/discontinued-pepsi-blue/|archive-date=December 29, 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref> (North American markets)<br/>{{end date and age|2021|7}}<ref>{{cite web |last1=Garrison |first1=Cianna |title=Pepsi Blue Is Back On Shelves After Nearly 20 Years, But It Won't Be Here Forever |url=https://www.elitedaily.com/p/how-long-is-pepsi-blue-available-dont-wait-to-sip-the-colorful-cola-76757602 |website=[[Elite Daily]] |access-date=February 11, 2022 |date=May 7, 2021}}</ref> (North American re-release)
| related = [[Crystal Pepsi]]
| variants =
| website =
}}

'''Pepsi Blue''' is a berry-flavored soft drink produced by [[PepsiCo]]. It was marketed as a "Berry Cola Fusion", and was initially sold from 2002 to 2004 in the United States and Canada (with a limited return in 2021) and was also sold in several Asian markets.

==History==
The decision to make a brightly colored version of the flagship [[Pepsi]] brand was spurred by 2001's introduction of [[Mountain Dew Code Red]], which had bumped PepsiCo's [[Mountain Dew]] division sales up 6%,<ref name="Marketers of colorful drinks dye for big sales"/> and another source noted that "Pepsi Blue attempted to imitate the lurid hues of [[Gatorade]]".<ref>{{cite news |last1=McCullough |first1=Michael |title=Determining demand for products that don't exist |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/496723192 |access-date=October 1, 2021 |work=Vancouver Sun |date=August 7, 2003 |location=Vancouver, British Columbia |page=D3}}</ref> It was designed to attract teenage consumers with its bright blue color and unique flavor.<ref name="Marketers of colorful drinks dye for big sales">{{cite news|last=Howard|first=Theresa|date=May 8, 2002|title=Marketers of colorful drinks dye for big sales|url=https://www.usatoday.com/money/general/2002/05/07/pepsi-blue.htm| url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305064324/http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/money/general/2002/05/07/pepsi-blue.htm | archive-date=March 5, 2016 | access-date=September 14, 2025 | newspaper=[[USA Today]]}}</ref> It is tinted using [[Blue 1]].<ref name="BevNet"/>

The flavor was described by Pepsi only as "berry" and described by customers as similar to blueberries or raspberries, or similar to cotton candy with a berry-like aftertaste and much more sugary and syrupy than regular cola.<ref name="BevNet">{{cite web|title=Pepsi Blue|url=http://www.bevnet.com/reviews/pepsiblue/facts.asp|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030620155034/http://www.bevnet.com/reviews/pepsiblue/facts.asp|archive-date=June 20, 2003|website=www.bevnet.com}}</ref>

Pepsi Blue was announced in May 2002.<ref name="Pepsi Blue is Coming"/> It was launched in mid-2002 and discontinued in Canada and the United States in 2004, although it remained available in the Philippines. Pepsi taste-tested more than 100 flavors across 9 months.<ref name="Swallowing Pepsi Blue">{{cite web|last=Munarriz|first=Rick Aristotle|date=September 5, 2002|title=Swallowing Pepsi Blue|url=http://www.fool.com/dripport/2002/dripport020905.htm|website=Fool.com|access-date=September 14, 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080206171533/http://www.fool.com/dripport/2002/dripport020905.htm|archive-date=February 6, 2008}}</ref><ref name="Pepsi Blue is Coming">{{cite web|publisher=CNN Money|date=May 7, 2002|title=Pepsi Blue is Coming|url=https://money.cnn.com/2002/05/07/news/companies/pepsi/ | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220320164850/https://money.cnn.com/2002/05/07/news/companies/pepsi/ | archive-date=March 20, 2022 | access-date=September 14, 2025}}</ref>

In April 2021, Pepsi announced that Pepsi Blue would be reintroduced for a limited time in May 2021.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Tyko |first1=Kelly |title=Pepsi Blue is coming back in May for the first time since 2004 |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/food/2021/04/22/pepsi-blue-2021-soda-returns-may/7342350002/ |website=[[USA Today]] |date=April 22, 2021}}</ref>

===Promotion===
It was heavily promoted by PepsiCo, including advertisements by pop singer [[Britney Spears]] and the bands [[Sev (band)|Sev]] and [[Papa Roach]], and in the movies ''[[The Italian Job (2003 film)|The Italian Job]]'' and ''[[Garfield: The Movie]]''.{{citation needed|date=September 2025}} It was widely seen as a commercial flop as sales remained low. Even with the failure of Pepsi Blue, PepsiCo posted double-digit growth.<ref name="Swallowing Pepsi Blue"/>

Pepsi Blue was promoted after [[New York Mets]] games during mid-2002, where the color blue was one of the symbolic colors of the team. Other promotions included handing out free bottles from a Pepsi Blue-themed VW New Beetle at popular shopping centers around the country. Pepsi Blue was also endorsed by [[Adam Vinatieri]], the then [[New England Patriots]] kicker, who helped the Patriots win the Super Bowl in 2002.

In [[Manila]], Philippines, Pepsi Blue was sold for a limited time in late 2002 to commemorate the championship of the [[Ateneo Blue Eagles]] in the [[University Athletic Association of the Philippines|UAAP]]. In 2011, [[Pepsi]] released Pepsi Blue in [[Metro Manila]], Philippines as "Pepsi Pinas".<ref>{{cite web|title=Pepsi Pinas Goes Global|url=http://www.bbdoguerrero.com/?p=727|publisher=BBDO Guerrero Philippines|access-date=November 25, 2011|archive-date=March 5, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305041646/http://bbdoguerrero.com/?p=727|url-status=dead}}</ref> Pepsi Pinas proved successful and was made a permanent product, reverting the name Pepsi Blue. It is rare in bottles and cans but common at [[7-Eleven]] fountains there. In India, Pepsi Blue was launched during the [[2003 Cricket World Cup]] supporting the [[India national cricket team]], which has blue jerseys.<ref>{{cite web|title=Pepsi - Superbrand 2003 - 2005|url=http://www.superbrandsindia.com/images/brand_pdf/consumer_1st_edition_2004/pepsi/pepsi.htm|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110320093348/http://www.superbrandsindia.com/images/brand_pdf/consumer_1st_edition_2004/pepsi/pepsi.htm|archive-date=March 20, 2011|website=www.superbrandsindia.com}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[List of Pepsi types]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{ccat}}
* {{webarchive | url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030607061116/http://pepsiblue.com/index.htm | title=Official website }}

{{Varieties of Pepsi}}

[[Category:Discontinued soft drinks]]
[[Category:PepsiCo cola brands]]
[[Category:Products introduced in 2002]]

Pepsi Blue - Revision history

imported>InternetArchiveBot: Rescuing 1 sources and tagging 0 as dead.) #IABot (v2.0.9.5