AMEX CATERS FOR GEN Z’S AND MILLENNIALS’ APPETITE FOR ADVENTUROUS FLAVOURS WITH LAUNCH OF NEW SODA BAR POP UP AT BST HYDE PARK 2025
American Express is back with another lineup of exclusive Cardmember perks and immersive onsite experiences, including the return of The Amex Experience, as the headline sponsor of BST Hyde Park.
This year sees Amex launch a brand-new Soda Bar located in The Amex Experience. The Soda Bar will serve up an unforgettable menu of five different flavour combinations – from an olive and pickle infused sparkling lemonade to a spicy jalapeño, sweet agave and lime soda fusion.
Created in collaboration with Amex’s official soda recipe curator Maddi Neye-Swift, aka Cripandip – who was crowned TikTok Food Creator of the Year in December 2024 – the sodas will be available for Cardmembers and their guests to purchase exclusively at BST Hyde Park for the duration of the festival only.
The launch of The Soda Bar follows the growing popularity of adventurous soda flavours, with 3.75 million tags across social media featuring countless creative flavour combinations.2
What’s more, new research from American Express has revealed that when eating and drinking, Gen Z and Millennials are the most adventurous, with over three in five (62%) Gen Zs experimenting with different flavours, closely followed by 58% of Millennials, compared to 33% of other generations surveyed.1
Famed for her viral social videos showcasing bold and adventurous food and drink creations, Maddi Neye-Swift applied her signature culinary creativity to co-create an exciting blend of soda recipes with Amex – spanning sweet, savoury, spicy, salty and sour taste sensations.
A showstopping lineup of soda flavours
From Friday 27 June until Sunday 13 July, festivalgoers can purchase one of five sensational sodas at The Soda Bar at The Amex Experience mezzanine:3
- Jalapeño Spice – a zesty twist of lime soda, sweet agave and jalapeño syrup, topped with a fresh jalapeño slice
- Strawberries & Cream – a fresh and tangy lemon soda layered with strawberry syrup and topped with velvety glitter infused vanilla cream
- Pickle-tini – a bold mix of lemonade, soda, sliced pickle, and a splash of olive brine
- Watermelon Smash – refreshing melon soda meets watermelon syrup, with a swirl of lime cream or vegan foam and a lime garnish, topped with pink edible glitter
- Cheeky Cherry – cherry cola infused with cherry syrup and vanilla cream or vegan foam, topped with a fresh cherry
The mouth-watering soda recipes were inspired by research commissioned by Amex which revealed that sweet flavours topped Gen Z’s list of favourite food groups (54%), while one in three (34%) preferred spicy, with fusion flavours also making a strong showing (31%). In fact, one in 10 Gen Zs would consider adding ingredients such as olives (12%) or jalapenos (9%), with 7% opting for sliced pickles.1
Maddi Neye-Smith, aka Cripandip, said: “I’m so excited to have created these bold, distinctive soda flavours – and to showcase them at The Soda Bar at The Amex Experience. I’ve loved embracing my creativity to come up with these fun flavour combinations with some of my favourite ingredients. I can’t wait to see festivalgoers discover the menu and I hope everyone will be obsessed with the delicious flavours!’
Aaron Burke, VP Marketing, Global Brand Sponsorships at American Express, said: “We’re thrilled to be back as headline sponsor for a fourth year at American Express presents BST Hyde Park. We are passionate about creating meaningful memories for our Cardmembers and music fans through immersive activations that will enhance their festival experience. Cardmembers can enjoy perks including a 5% spend discount across the festival and access to exclusive Cardmember merch lanes. This year’s Amex Experience is the perfect place to make memories that will last long after the music stops, to try some new flavour combinations at the Soda Bar and to enjoy epic views of the Great Oak Stage.”
The Amex Experience is open to all BST Hyde Park festivalgoers, with exclusive offers, dedicated Cardmember merch lanes, and giveaways for American Express Cardmembers throughout the festival.
About The Amex Experience
This year, The Amex Experience invites festivalgoers to enter a vibrant house filled with extra touches designed to turn fleeting feelings into unforgettable core memories and make shared experiences even more rewarding.Key highlights of The Amex Experience include:
- Amex Lounge and Bar: a nostalgic throwback party space with a claw machine, a surprise-triggering ‘Remote of Control’, and the Drinks Cabinet Bar – adding another layer of delight to the festival refreshment experience
- Bag Customisation: a festival fashion lab where attendees pick out an exclusive festival crossbody bag – free for Cardmembers – and heat-press it with one of seven headliner-inspired unique patches
- The Garden: featuring The Mailbox, a playful prize draw station with VIP upgrades, backstage tours, as well as exclusive merch
- Photobooths: styled like a headliner’s home studio, complete with wide-angle lens and instant printouts to take home
Onsite there are also:
- Exclusive Cardmember Discount and Perks: Eligible Cardmembers receive 5% off all purchases site-wide at the festival4, as well as a complimentary re-usable water bottle – also available all festivalgoers during happy hours – redeemable from Amex Kiosks.5
- Cardmember Merch Lane6: Music lovers looking to snap up festival merch get access to Cardmember-only lanes across merch tents sitewide.
The Amex Experience can be found on the BST Hyde Park site map.
Festivalgoers can visit The Amex Experience to purchase limited-edition Soda flavours at BST Hyde Park from Friday 27 June to Sunday 13 July.
