YEAR: 2012

Partner

PepsiCo ("Refresh Everything" Campaign) / DoSomething.org

Location

National, U.S. (Six-City Tour)

Context / Challenge

Pepsi launched the Refresh campaign to position itself as a brand committed to social good. The challenge was to move beyond traditional advertising and authentically invest in youth-led, grassroots community change — leveraging a massive $20 million grant pool to fund innovative solutions developed by young people.

Role

Creative architect, tour designer, Training Consultant & Outreach Coordinator. Responsible for ensuring the campaign's execution connected directly with local changemakers and fulfilled its social impact promise.

What We Built

A national mobile platform and traveling Six-City Tour (Chicago, NY, Pittsburgh, San Francisco, LA, Miami) that spotlighted youth leaders and grassroots projects. Each stop showcased local changemakers, activated community participation through civic engagement workshops, and provided funding and visibility opportunities for youth-driven initiatives.

Approach / Methods

Corporate partnership activation, immersive event design, grassroots storytelling, and community-based engagement strategies that utilized motivational speaking and direct outreach to convert brand exposure into authentic movement-building.

Impact / Outcomes

Dozens of grassroots projects gained funding and national visibility. The campaign demonstrated that a major global brand could reframe its identity around authentic social impact by elevating youth voices, setting a precedent for how corporate campaigns could merge marketing with social innovation.

Story

“It wasn’t about Pepsi — it was about refreshing what community leadership looked like, proving that every community holds the power to create the future they desire.”

Tags

Corporate Partnership, Youth Leadership, Tour Design, Social Impact, Movement-Building, Community Engagement