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Pepsi, like many other soft drinks, began as a series of experiments at a drugstore soda fountain. By 1898, pharmacist Caleb Bradham had decided on the best of his concoctions, and dubbed his potion, "Pepsi-Cola." The company grew steadily, if not always smoothly (the firm went belly-up in 1923 and again in 1931), changing hands, merging, and being bought out. By the 1940s, Pepsi was a going, national concern (and a patriotic one, using red, white, and blue for its bottlecap colors). In the early 1950s, the company switched its print ad focus from one using black and white cartoons to a sophisticated campaign using many of the best young (though often similar in style) illustrators. It's a credit to this campaign and its artists that the ads from this era still have a fresh, up-to-date appeal and look. Most of these ads could be successfully republished by Pepsi today.

NOTE: as usual for all scans found on the American Art Archives site, these are copyright American Art Archives and may not be used for any other purpose without written permission from American Art Archives. These scans are not in the public domain.

Joe Bowler (1957) Pepsi - 006

Bernard D'Andrea (1953) Pepsi - 008

Unsigned (1958) Pepsi - 012

Unsigned(1957) Pepsi - 014