As Reggae Sumest crested during its two most anticipated nights, official non-alcoholic beverage sponsor Pepsi Cola Jamaica (PCJ) pulled out all the stops to deliver an added layer of excitement for patrons. 

On Dancehall and Reggae nights over the weekend, festival-goers were treated to a live disc jockey and complimentary bar as the beverage giant kept energies high in-between sets and offered immersive experiences.

The company tapped its long-time partner and former ambassador, Benito ‘Don Dada’ Thompson to create a unique three-dimensional photo opportunity inside the Pepsi booth with depictions of the Jamaican culture literally coming to life for patrons to create the perfect Instagram snapshots. 

Describing his design of the 100-foot-long custom wall artwork, embedded with a QR code that brings out the 3D elements when photographed, he shared that, “The piece itself represents young Jamaicans as we are. So you see a girl taking a selfie, there are dancers in the artwork, and there are DJs because music is a core part of Jamaican culture.” 

Don Dada, who is both founder and lead artist at the Don Dada AR Agency said it felt amazing to be able to represent his unique and authentic talents on as grand a stage as Sumfest.

“Overall people have been loving the artwork from what I can see and it really hits the mark for me because what we wanted to create was a show stopping moment. We wanted when people launched the AR,  to pause for a minute and say ‘what is this, I’ve never seen anything like this before.’ I’m sure that has been the response, which I’m very grateful for and to have it here at Sumfest, the biggest Reggae festival in the Caribbean, is amazing,” added Don Dada. 

Meanwhile, the activities and fanfare didn’t stop there, as one of the most well-used features of Nights 1 & 2 with Pepsi was a well-lit telephone booth, doubling as a photo-op where attendees captured their experiences and received instant printouts, much to their delight.  

Brand coordinator at PCJ Karonna Atkins shared that “The brand Pepsi is known for its boldness, vibrancy and uniqueness and Reggae Sumfest embraces just that and that’s why we’re back on board as sponsors this year. This year we are also bringing ‘Bubbla’ back and we had to find another artist that embodies what we wanted. Pepsi is all about music and fashion and we decided to bring D’yani on board for this ‘Bubbla’ campaign.” 

Atkins added that Pepsi was excited, not only to support one of the largest demonstrations of Jamaican music prowess but also to further support younger generations of Jamaican talent by platforming them for locals and visitors to see. 

Sumfest attendees at the Pepsi booth would have gotten a chance to engage and see online comedian ‘Fatskull’, dancers ‘Lee Not Nice’, ‘Desha Ravers’ and several recording artistes, including Nigy Boy, Laa Lee, and D’Yani. 

The company also announced at the festival that they’ll soon launch ‘Pepsi Zero’ for those who still want to enjoy the taste of Pepsi but with fewer calories.