The rivalry between Pepsi and Coca-Cola, known as the “cola wars,” has heated up again ahead of the Super Bowl LX on February 8, 2026. Pepsi’s new advertisement takes a direct shot at its competitor by featuring Coca-Cola’s famous polar bear in a surprising way.

The polar bear has been a symbol for Coca-Cola since 1922, and it gained more fame in ads from 1993 onward. In Pepsi’s ad, titled “The Choice,” the animated bear joins the classic Pepsi Challenge. This is a blind taste test where the bear samples Pepsi Zero Sugar and Coke Zero Sugar without labels. The bear ends up choosing Pepsi, which leads to a humorous crisis for the character.

Directed by Oscar-winning filmmaker Taika Waititi, who also plays the bear’s therapist in the ad, the story includes fun references to pop culture. The background music is Queen’s “I Want to Break Free.” The ad ends at a stadium concert, where the bear meets another polar bear who shares the same preference. The tagline is clear: “You deserve taste. You deserve Pepsi.”

This move has been called bold and clever, bringing back memories of past cola battles from the 1970s to 1990s. Pepsi is not stopping at TV; the campaign spreads to social media, interactive events, and outdoor ads in places like New York.

Reactions online and in the media are strong, with talks of a “brand war comeback” and praise for the humor and throwback feel. Coca-Cola has not responded yet, but the ad is already creating a lot of online buzz before the game.

In short, Pepsi positions itself as the fun challenger, using the Super Bowl to boost visibility and spark cultural talks. If updates come during the event, this iconic rivalry could grow even more.