Dirty soda has recently gained viral fame on TikTok, and Pepsi is joining the fun trend with the launch of its latest campaign featuring two of the most iconic stars of the holiday season: Lindsay Lohan and Santa Claus.
Pepsi’s 2022 Christmas campaign gives a surprising and naughty new twist to milk and cookies – a favorite tradition to leave out for Santa – with the introduction of Pilk and Cookies. For those who haven’t heard Pilk before, it is a delicious and must-have beverage that combines the crispness of Pepsi with the subtly sweet and creamy taste of milk. Commonly topped with creamer, the drink pairs perfectly with cookies. Pilk is basically a kind of “dirty soda,” which originally became popular several years ago.
As part of the campaign, Pepsi is inviting fans to join the #PilkandCookies Holiday Challenge, which gives participants the chance to be one of the lucky 25 winners of a pre-paid debit card consisting of $1000 each.
To join the challenge/sweepstakes, fans must follow @Pepsi on Instagram, Twitter, or TikTok and share a photo or video of their dirty, delicious Pilk and Cookies treat with the hashtags #PilkandCookies #Sweepstakes starting today through December 25th. A fan is allowed to enter once via Instagram, once via Twitter, and once via TikTok, for a total of three entries for the entire sweepstakes period. Photos and videos won’t be judged, as the lucky winners will be selected via a random drawing.
To kick off the challenge, Pepsi has dropped a couple of photos and videos featuring Lohan and Santa. Fresh off her Netflix holiday hit film Falling for Christmas and recently released rendition of Jingle Bell Rock, Lohan can be seen enjoying Pilk and Cookies prepared by Santa himself in the video below:
In a shorter video, Lohan can be seen concocting her own Pilk.
“Partnering with Pepsi to announce Pilk and Cookies has been an incredible experience,” said Lohan in a statement. “As someone who loves the holiday season and embracing new traditions, I was thrilled to have a little bit of fun with Pepsi and their take on the dirty soda. For people learning about Pilk for the first time, I won’t lie to you when I say I was a bit skeptical when I first heard of this pairing, but after my first sip I was amazed at how delicious it was, so I’m very excited for the rest of the world to try it.”
“Combining Pepsi and milk has long been a secret hack among Pepsi fans. Now with the rise of the ‘dirty soda’ trend on TikTok and throughout the country, we thought Pilk and Cookies would be a great way to unapologetically celebrate the holidays with a new and delicious way to enjoy Pepsi this season,” added Todd Kaplan, Chief Marketing Officer – Pepsi.
Never made your own Pilk before? Worry not! Pepsi has come up with five easy Pilk and Cookies recipes that will let your tastebuds sing with holiday cheer:
The Naughty & Ice: For a pure milk taste that’s infused with notes of vanilla, measure and combine 1 cup of whole milk, 1 tbsp of heavy cream, and 1 tbsp of vanilla creamer. From there, pour the mixture slowly into 1 cup of Pepsi – the brand’s hero product – and consume it alongside a chocolate chip cookie.
The Chocolate Extreme: Blend 1/3 cup of chocolate milk and 2 tbsp of chocolate creamer together, and transfer the mixture to 1 cup of smooth & creamy Pepsi Nitro to enjoy the richness of the flavor atop a frothy foam head. This “Pilk” will satisfy the chocoholic in you, especially by pairing it with a double chocolate cookie.
The Cherry on Top: A hint of cherry always sweetens the deal. Combine ½ cup of 2% milk, 2 tbsp of heavy cream, and 2 tbsp of caramel creamer. To bring the complex flavors to life, place the mixture into 1 cup of Pepsi Wild Cherry while pairing the drink with a gingerbread cookie.
The Snow Fl(oat): An oatmeal-based cookie loaded with raisins is sure to complement oat milk “Pilk.” Start by taking ½ cup of oat milk and adding 4 tbsp of caramel creamer. Then, slowly pour the sweet mixture into a glass filled with 1 cup of Pepsi Zero Sugar.
The Nutty Cracker: Combine ½ cup of almond milk and 4 tbsp of coconut creamer and place the mixture atop a pool of smooth & creamy Nitro Pepsi Vanilla. For true richness, pair it with a coated peanut butter cookie.
What’s a dirty soda?
Dirty soda is a concoction that originally become popular in the Mountain West of the United States in the 2010s, and started to expand to a national consumer base in the 2020s.
What is dirty soda made of?
Dirty sodas are made with soda beverages (Pepsi, Coke, Mountain Dew, etc.) spiked with creams like coconut cream and fruit juices such as fresh lime juice, as well as flavored syrups like vanilla syrup, cranberry syrup, butterscotch syrup, or sugar-free coconut syrup.
What does dirty soda taste like?
Since they are made with sodas, creams, flavored syrups, and fruit juices, dirty sodas are generally sweet.
What are dirty soda shops?
Dirty soda shops are stores that sell dirty sodas. They are usually drive-through-only locations and started popping up all over Utah in the mid-2010s.
While the first-ever dirty soda shop remains up for debate, Swig, a pioneer in the dirty soda world, was founded by Nicole Tanner in 2010 in Saint George, Utah. As reported by The New York Times, Tanner, after brainstorming possible business ideas, was inspired to develop a drive-by soda shop by a trip to the drive-in fast-food chain Sonic. Soon after Swig was founded, similar dirty shops with names like Sodalicious, Twisted Sugar, and Fiiz began opening their own stores across Utah and later expanded across the country.
When did dirty soda become popular?
In observance of their church regulations, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) abstain from hot drinks like coffee and tea. But in 2012, the church clarified that its health practices do not mention the consumption of caffeine. According to TODAY, that clarification gave way for dirty soda to become a mainstay of the Utahan zeitgeist around that time. With many of the LDS church members now quenching their thirst with cans of cola, the demand for bubbly beverages like dirty soda increased.
What does dirty mean in a soda?
The modifier “dirty” in dirty soda doesn’t literally mean that the beverage is dirty. Swig founder Nicole Tanner told TODAY that any time you add anything to soda, it’s considered “dirty”.
Does a dirty soda have alcohol?
No. Dirty soda doesn’t contain alcohol. In fact, they are usually described as mocktails with optional cream, flavor, and fruit add-ins.