Pepsi’s Recipe to Spark Up July 4th Weekend: Hot Dogs, ‘Colachup’ and Joey Chestnut

This Fourth of July weekend, Pepsi is encouraging consumers to celebrate classic holiday traditions while also embracing innovative new ways to enjoy them in its latest effort to prove everything is “better with Pepsi.”  

The brand—which typically sees a sales spike on the patriotic-themed holiday for its red, white and blue-packaged products—rolled out “Hot Dogs and Pepsi.” The multi-pronged promotion pairs the perennially popular beverage with two of America’s beloved Independence Day pastimes: Eating hot dogs and watching baseball.  

In a stunt mirroring a recent trend of flavor mashups, Pepsi enlisted the Culinary Institute of America Consulting to develop “Colachup,” a cola-infused condiment that incorporates the flavor of the drink into fans’ dog-eating experience.  

“The concept is both simple and creative,” David Kamen, director of client experience for CIA Consulting, said in a statement. “It’s a whole new way to enjoy two American classics.”  

Curious connoisseurs hoping to get their hands on the special sauce are out of luck: The cola-condiment was produced in limited batches that will be exclusively offered from July 3-4 in designated sections at Chase Field in Arizona, Yankee Stadium in New York, Target Field in Minneapolis and Comerica Park in Detroit. The four venues are Pepsi’s partner stadiums, home to the Arizona Diamondbacks, New York Yankees, Detroit Tigers and Minnesota Twins baseball teams, respectively.  

Fans unable to partake in the flavorful experience at the stadiums can still score, with the brand offering to reimburse consumers who purchase a hot dog and Pepsi (up to the cost of a 20oz) at any food service or retail location when they text “FREEPEPSI” to 81234 and upload a receipt showing their purchase.    

The promotion, which runs through July 4, is part of the brand’s ongoing #BetterWithPepsi campaign, which in past iterations has paired the soda with hamburgers and pizza to tout the flavor combos.  

“Whether food is fancy, or it’s a classic food, we really believe every bite is better with Pepsi,” Jenny Danzi, senior director at Pepsi, told Adweek.  

In speaking about Colachup, which she attests is “really good,” Danzi tells Adweek there were “at least a dozen” versions tested by the team before selecting a winner.  

“I am quite confident that we have gotten to the best possible way to put your Pepsi on a hot dog,” Danzi said. “Second only to dunking the dog in the Pepsi.”  

Dog days of summer  

With more than 150 million of them consumed on July 4 alone, per to the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council, hot dogs have cemented their place as the summer staple at backyard gatherings and stadiums. They’re also the main attraction at the annual Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest in Coney Island, New York, where renown competitive eater, Joey Chestnut, will spend the holiday weekend defending his title as the 15-time hot dog-eating champion.  

Chestnut, who Danzi calls “the most famous expert on hot dogs,” has also partnered with Pepsi for the promotion.  

“I am a huge Joey Chestnut fan,” says Danzi. “He knows all about hot dogs and I think that brings a really fun angle leading into July 4^th weekend.”  

“I’m thrilled to be partnering with Pepsi to show America that hot dogs go better with Pepsi,” said Chestnut in a statement. “People might be surprised, but outside of competition, I love eating hot dogs at a more leisurely pace, and there’s no better way to eat a hot dog.”      

Danzi tells Adweek that in the coming months the brand will add more food options to the campaign, and teased that projects are in the works in celebration of Pepsi’s 125^th anniversary. 

 “We love food. We love anything you can enjoy unapologetically, and we think this celebration of how Pepsi pairs with food and brings out the notes that make them so delicious is fun and does a lot for us,” Danzi said. “So, we will continue to do more celebrations going forward.”