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The Citizen
a day ago
- Entertainment
- The Citizen
Local star shines in new global Pepsi campaign
Despite a slowdown in local commissioning, Goldblum said the industry is still very much alive. He's not your stereotypical up and coming showbusiness star. Instead, Dean Goldblum is the kind of guy who has an insatiable curiosity about the world around him, and the people in it. The kind of person everyone wants at a dinner party, because he's just that chilled. In his instance, nice guys cross the finishing line first. And he's well on his way with several notable roles under his belt and now, a spot in a Pepsi Zero Sugar ad set for global release. The ad is a fast moving musical collage that focuses on expressions, consuming and interacting with the soft drink. And while nobody in the cast had a speaking part, just being in a major league soft drink add instantly conjures peers like Michael Jackson, Madonna and Britney Spears. It's a small part but a big deal. 'It was incredible,' Goldblum said. 'We shot the Pepsi ad for six days, and every moment was special.' Filmed in Cape Town with an international crew and managed by Ridley Scott's production house, the campaign is big-budget stuff. Goldblum described the shoot as a masterclass. 'Working with the director, the camera persons, and then the company handling local production, everyone was at the top of their game,' he said. 'You learn so much just by being around people like that.' All South African cast The entire Pepsi ad cast was South African, and most of the crew too. 'It's a big deal,' he said. 'A project like that showcases our talent on a global stage and brings huge investment into the country via the production. And millions of people are going to see it.' ALSO READ: Man of influence still a player? But starring in a Pepsi ad is not the beginning and end of his career, nor his first international pitstop. Goldblum has stacked up roles with credits in Darby and the Dead, The Kingdom, Tali's Joburg Diary, Die Onderonsie, and South Africa's first Amazon Prime Original, The Shakedown. Later this year, he stars in Pretty How Town, directed by Alan Shelley, and he's also been cast in Muzzle: City of Wolves opposite Aaron Eckhart. But the CV isn't what defines him. There's no pushiness. No hustle-for-the-sake-of-hustle vibe at all. Instead, Goldblum comes across as a gentle, kind human. This is also how he approaches his work. 'I started drama classes when I was about six,' he said. 'Helen Holden used to put me in shows. It was small stuff, but I loved it. Then music got me deeper into performance, and it all grew from there.' First, he was a 'Little Star' His first screen role came at 13, on SABC's Little Stars. By high school, he'd already appeared on South Africa's Got Talent. 'I was still figuring out if I wanted to study law or act,' he said. 'I was passionate about human rights. Still am.' The turning point came in a school production of Big Fish. 'That experience changed everything,' he said. 'I realised I could probably have more impact as a performer than I would as an attorney. That connection between people, that energy. It felt more immediate, more alive,' he said. Goldblum studied drama at UCT but worked professionally during his holidays, jumping between television soaps and student life. 'Generations, Rhythm City and the like. I'd come back to Joburg during the breaks and shoot, then return to class,' he said. 'It was just luck, really. Good timing.' He's been fortunate enough that his work has started finding him. 'A lot of international work is being shot here' Despite a slowdown in local commissioning, Goldblum said the industry is still very much alive. 'A lot of the international work is being shot here,' he said. 'The film and television world has become so globalised. I've done American work without ever leaving South Africa.' The challenge, he said, lies in local productions, funded at home. 'Funding is hard. The DTI (Department of Trade and Industry) rebates to producers and the way rules change makes things unpredictable. But people are still doing it, still finding a way to create.' Goldblum has found his way. His slate's busy, and the casting couch has never intimidated him. Instead, it's like a fresh start every time. 'I've always felt calm in castings,' he said. 'I try to approach them like I would a conversation. No performance, no pretence. Just connect.' And then, when he gets a role, he goes for it completely and throws everything he has at it. 'Every encounter is a chance to uplift someone, or to learn,' he said. 'Every second we've got here matters.' NOW READ: Meet the man who has performed at 3800 weddings
Time of India
2 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
One summer doesn't tell the story: Coke upbeat on India
Mumbai: Coca-Cola global chief operating officer Henrique Braun declared consumer demand in India was 'resilient' amid slowing sales across household products and groceries, exacerbated by early onset of monsoon that curtailed sales of summer products, including beverages and colas. "We continue to see resilient demand in India. Summer still accounts for a larger percentage all over the world. But what is more important is the overall year equation, how you get events during the year when you can actually increase consumption, and then level off the seasonality moving forward," said Braun. "There are still many occasions that we need to develop for seasonality to actually be lowered. An all-weather mindset is important and the only thing that's going to change is that we are going to pivot fast and make sure we need to be back on track." Demand for fast-moving consumer goods worsened to a two-year low in the March quarter with FMCG volume sales growth of 3.5%, according to global research firm Kantar. However, Coca-Cola saw double-digit volume growth in the quarter due to higher inventory stocking before summer. However, the onset of India's monsoon, the earliest since 2009, impacted sales growth of summer goods including beverages and ice-cream, which counts April-June as their peak season. The company behind Maaza and Thums Up , however, said market measurements don't fully factor ecommerce sales, especially quick commerce in cities, which have been seeing highest demand pressure over the past year. "So, if you think about the urban, not only the sales that you get through the normal channels, but the whole ecosystem (has to be factored in). That math is not easily done as some of the market measurements don't capture everything. It's all happening in the urban, not necessarily in the rural," added Braun. "India has accelerated tremendously in digitisation. One of the things that was, to me, an eye opener as well, in terms of another channel that's developing here is the quick commerce that is very unique to India. It's accelerating, every time I come in, it's bigger." India is Atlanta-based Coca-Cola's fifth largest market by volume. Globally and well as in India, shifting consumer tastes are prompting beverage companies, including Coca-Cola and Pepsi , to find ways to diversify from traditional soda and high-calorie juices to low calories versions.
Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Woman orders espresso martini at restaurant but is stunned by what arrives
A woman was left in hysterics after ordering an espresso martini at a restaurant - only to be served a very different version of the classic cocktail instead Many of us fancy a cheeky espresso martini while out and about. This timeless tipple, typically concocted from espresso, coffee liqueur, and vodka is famed for its creamy froth, traditionally crowned with a trio of coffee beans. But, one woman's recent encounter has taken social media by storm. Her 'dreadful' espresso martini from American restaurant chain Chili's sparked viral hysteria. Em took to X to share her cocktail calamity, whipping up quite a frenzy as the post racked up a jaw-dropping 11 million views, leaving people "wheezing" at its appearance. Gone was the anticipated creamy surface, replaced instead with an abyss of murky brown liquid, excessively sprinkled with coffee beans compared to the usual garnish. Commenters couldn't help but jest about the concoction, with one user jesting: "When I get the job after lying on my resume." Another expressed sympathy: "Nah sis they played you. That ain't no espresso martini", while someone else echoed their astonishment: "I cannot believe that is even real omg." Some even likened it to Pepsi or Coke dashed with coffee beans. Elsewhere, a commenter was so tickled they exclaimed: "I am wheezing". Em later disclosed that this peculiar take on the drink was born from a collaboration between Chili's and 'Vanderpump Rules' stars Scheana Shay and Katie Maloney. One thing is certain, if Chili's ever makes the leap to British shores, let's pray this peculiar cocktail isn't part of the package. The Espresso Martini hails from the 1980s and is frequently attributed to a London bartender called Dick Bradsell – its popularity endures years on. As the story goes, a model once approached him with a request for a beverage that would "wake her up and then f*** her up." In response, Bradsell concocted a blend of vodka, coffee liqueur, and fresh espresso, birthing the now-iconic Espresso Martini.
Winnipeg Free Press
3 days ago
- Business
- Winnipeg Free Press
CentrePort Canada adds three firms to West Creek Industrial Park
Three businesses have expanded in Manitoba's rapidly growing CentrePort Canada — and European companies might be on the way. Medline Canada, a medical supplies manufacturer and distributor, has doubled its company's Manitoba warehouse footprint by leasing 46,000 square feet in CentrePort at the northwest edge of Winnipeg. Arctic Beverages — Canada's only First Nations-owned Pepsi franchise — has cemented 36,000 sq. ft. of space. And Polymershapes Winnipeg, which distributes products like plastic sheets, has settled into 19,000 sq. ft. All three are tenants of the West Creek Industrial Park. The new development is notable because it was built before any tenants had signed on, said Carly Edmundson, CentrePort Canada's chief executive. West Creek Industrial Park spans 294,150 sq. ft. in the Rural Municipality of Rosser. Of the space, 189,860 sq. ft. is left available. Hopewell Development LP created the park's two buildings. '(They) believed that the market was strong enough,' Edmundson stated. A delegation of 18 European Union ambassadors toured CentrePort during their April visit. Edmundson described the event as 'really positive.' 'They were … extra excited when they considered the connectivity to the Port of Churchill,' she added. — Free Press staff
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Longtime favorite drops in ranking of best-selling sodas in the US
When it comes to soda, some brands pop off year after year. Beverage Digest, a trade publication covering the beverage industry, released its annual data measuring America's best-selling soda brands. The list ranked sodas based on each company's sales performance in 2024. It also compared popular sodas with other beverage types, like bottled water and sports drinks. While many Americans have longstanding opinions on the superior choice between Coca-Cola or Pepsi products, a few other popular soda brands have inched their way to the top of the ranking. This year, Sprite knocked Pepsi out of the top three spots on the list. Here's a look at the full data. Lawsuit: Pepsi, Coca-Cola to blame for plastic waste crisis in US Virgin Islands Regular Coke remained in the top spot on the annual list of bestselling soda brands. Meanwhile, Dr. Pepper entered the second spot and Sprite edged out Pepsi for No. 3. Coke and Pepsi were the respective No. 1 and 2 bestselling sodas in America for many years. However, in 2023, Dr. Pepper overtook Pepsi as the No. 2 bestselling soda on the list. This year, Pepsi fell another spot to Coke's Sprite brand, making it the fourth bestselling soda in 2024, according to Beverage Digest's data. Aside from soda brands, Beverage Digest also ranked other categories of non-alcoholic liquid refreshments based on volume and dollar performance in 2024. Here are the top beverages in America based on the list: Bottled water Carbonated soda Juices and juice drinks Ready-to-drink tea Sports drinks Energy drinks Ready-to-drink coffee Melina Khan is a national trending reporter for USA TODAY. She can be reached at This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Coke or Pepsi? Best-selling sodas in America in 2024 revealed Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
