Alan Maxwell Pottasch, known as the father of the "Pepsi Generation" and the creative force behind Pepsi-Cola advertising spanning nearly five decades, died in his sleep on Friday, July 27, 2007 . He was 79 years young and at the time of his death was doing what he loved best -- working on a Pepsi TV commercial in Los Angeles . Although he officially retired from Pepsi in 1991, Mr. Pottasch continued to serve as an active creative consultant to Pepsi-Cola and other PepsiCo divisions. Despite recent health issues, his commitment to his craft and the company and brands he loved guided his life to the very end.
He joined Pepsi-Cola in 1957 and devoted his career to marketing and advertising. In the early 1960s, Mr. Pottasch was among the first to recognize the coming youth culture, dominated by so-called "baby boomers." Of that era he said, "Pepsi named and claimed 25 million young people for its own with a big, sweeping invitation to live life to its fullest." The landmark effort shifted the focus of advertising from extolling the virtues of a product to celebrating the lives of its consumers -- in this case, the young at heart, optimistic and vibrant "Pepsi Generation." Launched in 1963, the "Pepsi Generation" was one of the longest-running, most successful advertising campaigns in history. Although initially aimed at Americans, the campaign proved to have universal appeal and resonated with consumers around the world. The phrase remains an important part of today's global pop lexicon.
Mr. Pottasch's Pepsi commercials won more than 60 major awards, including the advertising world's highest honor, the Grand Prix at Cannes . Mr. Pottasch also produced some of the industry's most famous celebrity commercials, including the groundbreaking series of musical ads starring Michael Jackson in the 1980s.
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