Pepsi has reignited its long-running rivalry with Coca-Cola by featuring Coke’s iconic polar bear in its 2026 Super Bowl commercial, unveiled ahead of Super Bowl 60 on February 8.
The advertisement, titled “The Choice,” centres on a blind taste test in which the polar bear unknowingly samples Coca-Cola and Pepsi and ultimately chooses Pepsi. The moment triggers what the commercial portrays as an identity crisis for the long-associated Coca-Cola mascot.
The ad goes on to show the polar bear in therapy, followed by scenes in which it looks on as people drink Pepsi. In one sequence, another polar bear approaches and hands the mascot a Pepsi. The commercial concludes with the two bears appearing together on a large screen at a concert-like event dominated by Pepsi branding, a scene that echoes a widely discussed Coldplay concert moment from 2025.
The commercial is set to Queen’s song “I Want to Break Free” and is directed by Academy Award-winning filmmaker Taika Waititi. Waititi won the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay for Jojo Rabbit (2019) and has also directed Thor: Ragnarok (2017) and Thor: Love and Thunder (2022).
The ad has sparked reactions on social media, including a post from Mountain Dew’s official X account, which said, “let’s be real it’s always been Pepsi.” Pepsi’s own X account responded by updating its profile image to feature the Coca-Cola polar bear and replying, “The bear is finally catching up.”
Super Bowl 60, featuring the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks, kicks off at 6:30 p.m. ET and is expected to showcase a slate of high-profile commercials alongside the game.
