The Pepsi Smart Can debuted at the 2024 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, introduced as “a CAN-vas for creativity, a media that will unlock new ways of storytelling, a gate to access new experiences, for the new generation of people ‘thirsty for more.'”
The Smart Can began as a side project and it was developed by PepsiCo’s global beverage design team in Ireland with a flexible 3D high-definition screen. Notably, the Smart Can does not replace the iconic soda brand’s classic cans since it does not contain cola but electronics to power the LED display panel and sound system. Complete with a SIM card, the Pepsi Smart Can provides mobile connectivity and the opportunity for creative content to be delivered to users.
While many cans rely on augmented reality to achieve the same result, the Pepsi Smart Can stands on its own and needs no app for its dynamism to be experienced.