Tanu Mukherjee,PhD.’s Post

It’s been an epic challenge to keep this one under wraps for so long, but it’s been well worth the wait. Nearly 20 years after the PEPSI® “Roman Empire” conquered pop culture, we are returning to the arena with a colossal Gladiator-themed campaign titled, “Make Your Gameday Epic™.” “Epic” is a word that I don’t throw around loosely, but this use is more than justified. Pepsi is celebrating the return of the new NFL season and the highly anticipated theatrical release of Gladiator II with a short-film of epic proportions. Megan Thee Stallion, as Empress Megan, leads a legion of NFL superstars turned Gridiron Gladiators, including Travis Kelce, Josh Allen, Justin Jefferson, and Derrick Henry, locked in an epic battle with ice-cold Pepsi at the heart of the action. The unmistakable “boom, boom, clap” from Queen’s “We Will Rock You” is featured on a fresh sample with cutting new lyrics from Megan. See the short film here: https://lnkd.in/ejjTPmhT In order to craft a visual look and feel that was authentically Gladiator x Pepsi, our team dove deep into the aesthetic of Ancient Rome - from the grandeur to the grit - and intersected it with our bold and unapologetic Pepsi VIS. The film and campaign assets strongly pay homage to our legacy in music, sports and entertainment, and I can only hope that this holds a small place next those many iconic moments over the years. Most importantly, this project was FUN and a dream to work on. Massive shoutout and congrats to my entire design team (who have been all-in since day one, bringing creative heat day-after-day), our best-in-class brand team (who epitomize the concept of partnership, collaboration and trust), and our many trusted partners who made this epic vision come to life!  Leslie Christine Park Stephanie Hsu Kailyn DiBianco David Schwen Danielle Paino Jenny Danzi Samantha Marrus Katelyn Meola Haley Carmichael Jammil Telfort Meredith Jenks Lopez Todd Kaplan Emily (Thomas) Rykken Taylor Heath Alison (LaFleur) Meade Nora Quartaro Stephanie Burgess Caitlin Coburn Winsor Emily Tobias Melissa Duhaime Rachael May, RDN Tara Bonanno Sema Naqi Adrienne Lin Kevin Moeller Darcie Binder Neil Goldberg Barry Rosen Joshua Clark Lou Arbetter Steve Frechtman Paramount Brand Studio RSA Films Pari Dukovic #pepsi #pepsicodesign #gladiatormovie #NFL #EPIC

Early in my career, a mentor told me, "If you want to build something truly great, you need to own the whole stack."   That advice has stuck with me, even as I've watched the business landscape transform in ways that have challenged this fundamental notion.   Over the last two decades, we've witnessed the tremendous growth of "platform" businesses that aggregated demand across different verticals and focused on one layer of the stack: owning the relationship with the end consumer. The stark contrast between the valuations of Meta and Google compared the entire advertising and media industry that preceded their arrival speaks volumes about how profit pools have shifted in the web 2.0 era.   This article from Packy McCormick brings forth an interesting point that the era of big aggregators might be coming to a close, especially as major verticals have already seen network effects maximized and reached "aggregation saturation point". While I'm not fully convinced that there's no room for aggregation models in new verticals, I wholeheartedly agree that vertical integration presents a powerful opportunity in many industries.   Vertically integrated businesses - those that orchestrate complex activities across the entire value chain, can create significant value for shareholders, consumers, and the industry as a whole. Our business at PepsiCo is a testament to this. From investing in R&D on potato seed varieties to working closely with growers to optimize yields and emissions, all the way to direct-to-consumer services like Snacks.com and Gatorade.com, we've had a heritage of embracing vertical integration. It allows us to invest deeply in innovation, ensure quality standards, eliminate inefficiencies in the value chain, and deliver a superior product and experience to our consumers and customers.   Going forward, consumer companies need to orchestrate their value chains more strategically. In the face of increasingly aggregated demand and supply platforms, it can be tempting to outsource activities to partners with the scale to deliver advantaged cost structures. But for consumer and brand companies, it is critical to maintain intimate relationships with your consumers. At the same time, companies must identify areas where vertical integration can create a true competitive advantage - and where it will not.   The greatest value will come from mastering the most difficult parts of the value chain, and from re-imagining traditional relationships in new and creative ways.   The future belongs to those who adapt and evolve. Looking forward to your thoughts.     Article Credit: Packy McCormick https://lnkd.in/ggGAiRp6

“I was born this way–I had no movement from my waist downwards. I was rejected from every school I applied to & so, the first 23 years of my life, I rarely left home. At home, it was just Maa, Bhaiya & me. I’d spend my days reading; Bhaiya would teach me after work. Maa & Bhaiya worked hard to fend for us–money was scarce; still we were happy. But when I was 19, Bhaiya passed away in an accident–Maa & I were devastated; I lost the only friend I had. Maa was struggling to cope; we were hit financially. That’s when I decided to step up–I used our savings to pay for a course in video editing. I put my heart & soul into it–I’d study all day. My relatives would taunt, ‘Why are you studying? Not like you’ll achieve much!’ But mom pushed me to study even harder. And it paid off when at 23, I landed a job as a video editor! It was my 1st job–I was nervous & excited! Everyday, I’d wheel myself to the bus station & take 4 hours to reach work, but I was so happy to be working! But then, my wheelchair got stuck in the step of the bus, I fell & was on bed rest. It was then that I stumbled across a FB post that was looking for basketball players for their para-athlete team–I thought, ‘why not?’ and decided to try out…& guess what? I got selected! So after I recovered, I’d work from 9 am to 9 pm on weekdays & then practice basketball the whole weekend! I’d watch tutorial videos & use half my earnings on my training. My shoulders would hurt and I’d get bedsores, but I’d say ‘all is well’ & push on. A year later, I got selected for the state level para-athlete competition! We participated in the national tournament…& won! I couldn’t hold back the tears, it was my ‘I made it moment.’ That day, every person who’d mocked me was silenced. After that, my coach encouraged me to powerlift–I won 3 competitions there too! And that’s why actions speak louder than words. My life today is the answer to all those who asked, ‘yeh kya karegi?’–I’m a national level wheelchair basketball player, a powerlifter & a video editor. I’m financially independent & know that there are endless possibilities ahead of me. I’ve fought hard & I’ve crossed every hurdle thrown my way. Now, I’m only meant to fly!” Featuring: Khushi Ganatra

Indian leaders in global capability centres (GCCs) have claimed a seat at the leadership table, underscoring their growing influence in global teams. GCCs in India have witnessed a significant shift in their leadership structure, with an increasing number of global leaders based here driving process ownership and other strategic initiatives. Pari Natarajan, CEO of global management consultancy Zinnov , said the number of global roles in GCCs in India have grown from a mere 115 in 2015 and is projected to grow to 30,000 by 2030. "These roles are pivotal in driving digital transformation across industries, leveraging mature capabilities and data-driven insights. GCC leaders now have a seat at the table, working with greater autonomy and purpose, leveraging their deep customer context to drive digital transformation across industries through mature capabilities." A recent report by nasscom and KPMG highlighted the use of a "2-in-a-box" structure by GCCs to create a leadership pipeline, where counterparts in the parent organization share responsibilities for the same key result areas. The report emphasized the crucial role of global process owners in standardizing processes, driving continuous improvement, and ensuring optimal performance across delivery centres. As Indian leaders take on higher decision-making roles and demonstrate productivity matching headquarters, especially in high-order tasks, they are receiving competitive compensation packages, narrowing the compensation gap. "The compensation levels are influenced by the nature of the work, availability of talent, and the cost-of-living index. These packages typically comprise a mix of fixed cash (50%-60%), RSUs (25%-30%), and bonuses, performance incentives, and additional benefits," Natarajan explained. #Globalcapabilitycentres #tech #talent Zinnov nasscom

Did you know, that according to this survey, only 4% of young Americans (ages 14-22) use AI tools daily? The majority avoid these tools due to privacy and bias concerns or lack the knowledge of what they are at all. I find this fascinating as it highlights a lack of education and resources for navigating AI across all ages, institutions, and professions. Yes, AI can be intimidating. But if we offer upskilling and reskilling opportunities across the board, we're better equipping people to leverage the benefits of AI safely and ethically. We're certainly walking the walk PepsiCo and I’m proud of the robust upskilling opportunities we offer so employees can learn to be fluent in data. https://lnkd.in/eASPZ35Z