Pray with Pepsi
The Golden Can That Conquered the Tet Altar
The Scenario
One of the most significant rituals of Tet (Lunar New Year) is ancestor worship. Every home in Vietnam meticulously decorates its altar with offerings, including beverages, to show respect to elders. While Tet accounts for 60% of annual cola sales, Pepsi historically had no place on the altar. The space was dominated by Coke, as traditional belief dictates that "Red" is the ultimate lucky color for the new year. Pepsi, with its iconic blue packaging, simply didn't make the cut for this sacred space.
The core vision for this project was clear but highly ambitious: we needed to re-invent the Pepsi can to make it truly worthy of the Vietnamese ancestral altar during Tet. As a designer, I saw this as a profound cultural and visual challenge.
The Design Narrative
Based on the strategic brief, we completely redesigned the can to address two key insights. Firstly, GOLD beats RED for Tet. Gold is seen as more premium, prosperous, and worthy to present to the elders. But we also had to fix another problem: the size. Knowing that people usually prefer smaller cans that can easily fit and be stacked within limited altar spaces, the solution was the Pepsi Mini Gold Can.
With the form and color established, my focus shifted to the packaging artwork. The details needed to resonate deeply with local traditions. At the center is the Pepsi mark, acting almost like a pulse, with energy spreading outward through firework-inspired patterns. On both sides, “Tài” and “Lộc” are placed directly on the body. In Vietnam, these words are often used at the start of the year, as a wish for wealth and good fortune.
When it came to bringing this aesthetic to life in our campaign visuals, keeping things close to real life in Vietnam was important. The visuals were developed together with a young photographer, Thuat Vo, grounding the art direction in the familiar, authentic scenes we see in everyday homes and streets.
One of the most significant rituals of Tet (Lunar New Year) is ancestor worship. Every home in Vietnam meticulously decorates its altar with offerings, including beverages, to show respect to elders. While Tet accounts for 60% of annual cola sales, Pepsi historically had no place on the altar. The space was dominated by Coke, as traditional belief dictates that "Red" is the ultimate lucky color for the new year. Pepsi, with its iconic blue packaging, simply didn't make the cut for this sacred space.
The core vision for this project was clear but highly ambitious: we needed to re-invent the Pepsi can to make it truly worthy of the Vietnamese ancestral altar during Tet. As a designer, I saw this as a profound cultural and visual challenge.
The Design Narrative
Based on the strategic brief, we completely redesigned the can to address two key insights. Firstly, GOLD beats RED for Tet. Gold is seen as more premium, prosperous, and worthy to present to the elders. But we also had to fix another problem: the size. Knowing that people usually prefer smaller cans that can easily fit and be stacked within limited altar spaces, the solution was the Pepsi Mini Gold Can.
With the form and color established, my focus shifted to the packaging artwork. The details needed to resonate deeply with local traditions. At the center is the Pepsi mark, acting almost like a pulse, with energy spreading outward through firework-inspired patterns. On both sides, “Tài” and “Lộc” are placed directly on the body. In Vietnam, these words are often used at the start of the year, as a wish for wealth and good fortune.
When it came to bringing this aesthetic to life in our campaign visuals, keeping things close to real life in Vietnam was important. The visuals were developed together with a young photographer, Thuat Vo, grounding the art direction in the familiar, authentic scenes we see in everyday homes and streets.
Results & Recognition
+11%
in total Pepsi sales volume
X2 TIMES
volume sales specifically for the small golden can
TOP 1
social Buzz in the Beverages category during the Tet holiday.
40,000+
young people engaged through organic participation, driven by user-generated content and the hunt for golden cans.
+11%
in total Pepsi sales volumeX2 TIMES
volume sales specifically for the small golden canTOP 1
social Buzz in the Beverages category during the Tet holiday.40,000+
young people engaged through organic participation, driven by user-generated content and the hunt for golden cans.
Credits
Agency: Ki Saigon
Client: Pepsi Vietnam
Strategic Planner: Indraneel
Associate Creative Director: Chung Hoang
Account Team: Thuy Ho, Uyen Trinh
Art Director & Illustrator: Luongdoo
Photography: Thuat Vo
Year: 2026
Agency: Ki Saigon
Client: Pepsi Vietnam
Strategic Planner: Indraneel
Associate Creative Director: Chung Hoang
Account Team: Thuy Ho, Uyen Trinh
Art Director & Illustrator: Luongdoo
Photography: Thuat Vo
Year: 2026