When compiling a list of iconic American brands, it’s hard to overlook the significance of Pepsi. For over a century, cola enthusiasts have been enjoying the crisp, cool taste of Pepsi, readily available in grocery stores, gas stations, and soda machines across the United States. Pepsi’s instantly recognizable red, white, and blue logo has a global presence, and its refreshing flavor is an instant energizer.
Polaroid Originals Now I-Type Instant Camera - Black (9028)
Whether you’re a devoted Pepsi drinker or not, our latest collaboration promises a refreshing experience. We’ve partnered with Pepsi and Polaroid to introduce the Polaroid 600 Pepsi Instant Film Camera, a vintage-inspired instant camera meticulously crafted by our team of camera aficionados here at Retrospekt.
Constructed using refurbished internal components sourced directly from vintage Polaroid instant cameras produced in the 1980s and ’90s, and encased in a newly molded blue exterior that faithfully replicates the original Polaroid 600 camera’s design, the Polaroid 600 Pepsi camera showcases a fresh look that pays tribute to the timeless allure of Pepsi’s branding from yesteryears.
Surprisingly, this isn’t Pepsi’s debut in the world of instant film. “In the 1980s, Polaroid manufactured a limited number of cameras featuring the then-current Pepsi branding,” reveals Michael Kempen, our Creative Director. “As time passes, they’ve become increasingly scarce, but the demand remains high.” The enduring fascination with vintage Pepsi Polaroid cameras is one of the reasons we’re thrilled about this collaboration. Moreover, we’re excited to work with Pepsi due to the brand’s rich history and its irreplaceable position in pop culture.
Pepsi, created by pharmacist Caleb Bradham in 1893 to alleviate stomach discomfort, soared in popularity during the Great Depression. It was available in 12-ounce bottles for just five cents, offering twice as much soda as competitors’ meager six-ounce bottles. With its “twice as much for a nickel” slogan, Pepsi scored a major hit with the “Nickel, Nickel” radio jingle in 1940, becoming the first-ever radio jingle broadcast coast to coast.
In the latter half of the 20th century, Pepsi shifted its focus to the younger demographic, famously known as “the Pepsi Generation.” During the 1980s, Pepsi embarked on a series of successful collaborations with entertainment giants like Michael Jackson, Tina Turner, and Michael J. Fox. These celebrity partnerships would later become a pivotal aspect of Pepsi’s brand identity.
In 1992, Pepsi aired a now-iconic Super Bowl commercial featuring Cindy Crawford sipping from a redesigned Pepsi can. As Crawford took a sip, one of the commercial’s young stars exclaimed, “Is that a great new Pepsi can, or what?” With bold, slanted lettering and a vibrant red band propelling the classic circular logo upward, Pepsi once again asserted itself as a forward-thinking cola brand.
Polaroid Originals Now I-Type Instant Camera - Red (9032)
When crafting our updated version of the Pepsi Polaroid camera, we drew inspiration from Pepsi’s 1992 logo redesign to ensure the new camera wasn’t a mere replication of its 1980s predecessor.
“When we set out to create a new camera with a nostalgic touch, we aimed to avoid duplicating what the original camera had already achieved,” Kempen explains. “Pepsi has consistently maintained a strong and distinctive graphic style that extends beyond soda cans. For us, the early-to-mid ’90s stood out as a prime example of this style. Since Polaroid continued to produce cameras in this vein into the ’90s, these logos and brand elements authentically align with the camera’s original era.”
Retrospekt’s new Polaroid camera proudly showcases authentic, retro Pepsi and Polaroid graphics layered onto its eye-catching blue body, faithfully adhering to Pepsi’s vintage brand guidelines regarding color. The camera comes packaged in a brand-new box designed to evoke the nostalgia of a catalog straight out of an early ’90s Pepsi Stuff collection.
