PepsiCo has revealed the signing a five-year partnership with Silverstone, with an eye to turning major sporting events into immersive brand experiences for Pepsi, Doritos and Gatorade.
The FMCG behemoth has become the official soft drinks and snacks partner of the venue, which attracts more than two million visitors each year.
The agreement will give PepsiCo a year-round platform across events including the Formula 1 British Grand Prix, British MotoGP, the British Touring Car Championship, CarFest and Christmas at Silverstone.
PepsiCo plans to deliver six large-scale experiential activations annually, using sampling, interactive entertainment and customised food and drink concepts to increase engagement beyond conventional venue sponsorship.
Carlsberg Britvic, PepsiCo’s UK bottling partner, will support the rollout of its drinks portfolio across the venue.
The partnership builds on activations staged during July’s Formula 1 British Grand Prix, where the company tested how its brands could become part of the wider fan experience.
Gatorade made the UK debut of its Run the Circuit concept, giving hundreds of fans the opportunity to run the Silverstone track shortly before the race.
Doritos brought its Taste the Thrill campaign to the venue through a dedicated ‘Thrill Zone’, offering competitions, merchandise and the chance to win a hot lap.
The crisp brand also served Doritos Loaded, a food concept using its tortilla chips as the base for a more substantial snack.
Meanwhile, Pepsi’s House of Treats offered customised drinks designed to tap into growing demand for flavour experimentation and personalised beverages.
PepsiCo UK away-from-home business unit controller Mark Whitaker said the partnership would allow the company to connect with consumers through “bold flavours, immersive brand experiences and shared moments of enjoyment”.
He said: “By working closely with Silverstone and Carlsberg Britvic, we’re creating experiences that go beyond refreshment – bringing our brands to life in ways that are engaging, memorable and rooted in how people come together to enjoy live sport and entertainment.”
For PepsiCo, the tie-up forms part of a wider push to increase visibility outside supermarkets and convenience stores, by embedding its brands in high-footfall leisure and entertainment occasions.
The group has already secured partnerships with venues including Wembley Stadium, The O2, Hill Dickinson Stadium and Hampden Park.
Its Silverstone deal gives the business access to a broad audience spanning motorsport fans, families and visitors to music, automotive and seasonal events.
Silverstone head of partnerships Rachel James said the performance of the initial British Grand Prix activations had demonstrated the potential for the brands to enhance the visitor experience.
She added: “We are excited to build on that success over the next five years and give fans even more opportunities to come together, discover something different and enjoy their time at Silverstone.”
The partnership reflects a broader marketing shift among FMCG businesses, which are increasingly using live events to create direct interactions with consumers and generate social content, rather than relying solely on product placement and traditional sponsorship assets.
By linking individual brands to distinct experiences, PepsiCo will be able to target different consumer needs while maintaining a group-wide presence across the venue.
Gatorade can build its performance and fitness credentials, Doritos can lean into entertainment and competition, while Pepsi can use drink customisation to encourage trial and highlight its wider flavour portfolio.
The challenge will be ensuring the activations remain fresh over the full five-year term and translate into stronger brand consideration after visitors leave the circuit.
However, Silverstone’s scale and diverse events calendar give PepsiCo a significant platform to test concepts, recruit new consumers and strengthen its presence in the growing away-from-home channel.
Click here to sign up to Retail Gazette‘s free daily email newsletter
