Ever since Pepsi’s drop in the national soda rankings, the company has taken some big swings to try and maintain relevance. A collab with Food Network star Bobby Flay seems to be its newest attempt. When hearing about a Pepsi and Bobby Flay crossover, my mind, very obviously, goes first to a new flavor of soda. Perhaps Pepsi is even branching out, using some of its flavor expertise to craft a new type of sauce. But no — Pepsi and Bobby Flay have decided that the product that they can best make together would in fact be cologne — rather, “COLAogne.”
What do Bobby Flay and Pepsi know about Cologne?
I’m a huge perfume and cologne fan. I’m a frequenter of websites such as Fragrantica and LuckyScent, and my bag is consistently full of perfume samples to whip out and rub on at any given moment. So I’m frankly perplexed that Bobby Flay, a man most known for his time spent tirelessly competing in a hot, stuffy kitchen, would now become the face of a cologne created by none other than a soda brand. Maybe Flay’s natural scent after working in his infamous kitchen was inspiration enough here.
The grilling lean here makes sense to me. Pepsi has been trying to secure its place as the go-to grilling beverage for a while now, making a campy little ad a month ago, starring none other than Bobby Flay himself. They declare themselves “the official beverage of Grills’ Night Out” as Bobby Flay dances around the barbeque.
Everything seemed to be leading up to a product reveal, especially with the advent of the number one grilling holiday of the year, Father’s Day. Where this product became a cologne, though, is lost on me. With the roll-out of the name “COLAogne” as well, this seems to be just the start in a line from Pepsi, so I’m prepared to continue being confused on future scents for months to come.
Just what is this cologne?
The cologne itself, named SMOKED, is supposed to “perfectly capture the joy of grill night.” The notes are said to be citrus, spice, smoke, caramel, amber, cedarwood, “and more,” a beautifully baffling way to describe a new scent. However, based on the notes we do get, it actually doesn’t sound half-bad.
The journey to even smell the cologne might dampen excitement, though, as its only available at sampling counters in three locations. To follow the rest of the brand’s confusing marketing decisions around this product, the locations are local Walmart Garden Centers, in Philly, Denver, and Miami. The only actual way to acquire a bottle for yourself is through the Better With Pepsi Grill Dad giveaway. Share a picture of your Grill Dad grilling away on social media, tagging Pepsi and #GrillDadSweepstakes, and you could win your own 50ml bottle of the fragrance.
Food-inspired perfumes aren’t new, and with the right team behind this, I’m sure it could actually smell pretty good. With sandalwood and amber as solid base notes for any cologne, and a delicate series of citrus and smoke top notes, I can see this coming off as surprisingly alluring. Pepsi, if you or any of your representatives read this, I know I’ve been harsh in my judgements of your newest business venture. However, if you would ever want to let me sample the scent, just know that I would be as objective as humanly possible. I want it to be good just as much as you and Mr. Flay do! At the end of the day, I’m rooting for COLAogne.