Whoomp! There It Is -- Crystal Pepsi Is Coming Back

Advertising Age Player //--> PepsiCo has made it official: Crystal Pepsi is coming back, but only for a limited time via a sweepstakes. The marketer hinted at a comeback for the 1990s-era clear soda over the summer. PepsiCo responded to one of Crystal's biggest fans, competitive eating star Kevin Strahle. He was told that "we definitely hear you and all your followers and we think you'll all be happy with what's in store." On Tuesday, PepsiCo confirmed that Crystal is returning via a sweepstakes on the "Pepsi Pass" app that will run from Dec. 10 to Dec. 11. Winners will be picked and notified by the week of Dec. 14, according to the company. Pepsi also released a video (above) that uses a 1990s retro theme, including the song "Whoomp! (There It Is)." The video, which is by The Barbarian Group, will get paid digital support. "Loyal Crystal Pepsi fans and their enthusiastic requests for its return, inspired Pepsi to bring back this iconic '90s product for the holiday season," a spokeswoman stated in an email. Bringing back old sodas has emerged as a trend among beverage marketers seeking to gain social media attention. Last week, PepsiCo announced the return of Mtn Dew Pitch Black, a darkly-colored line extension that was originally sold for a limited time in 2004 and briefly came back in 2005, 2006 and 2011. This time, fans must enter a sweepstakes on Dew's Facebook page to get it. Meanwhile, Coke-owned Surge returned with sales on Amazon last year and recently began popping up in stores. Crystal's comeback is a low-budget affair compared with its initial launch in the early 1990s when it was backed with a $40 million ad budget and major hoopla. But the soda fizzled among consumers who had grown disenchanted with clear sodas, Ad Age reported in 1994.

Whoomp! There It Is -- Crystal Pepsi Is Coming Back

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