A few weeks ago, Kimberly Jael Aremo Acio called herself a “Pepsi addict.”
Now, Pepsi Uganda has made her one of its brand ambassadors.
The 19-year-old Ugandan beauty queen, who represented Kole District at the inaugural Miss Universe Uganda 2026 competition, has landed the deal after a moment from the pageant unexpectedly took on a life of its own online.
Kimberly emerged as one of the competition’s biggest breakout stars. Although Mitchelle Daka won the crown, Kimberly finished as first runner-up, claimed the People’s Choice Award and secured a place in the Top Five.
Her popularity continued to grow after the pageant, with many Ugandans drawn to her natural look, personal story and advocacy for youth mentorship.
Then came the Pepsi moment.
During one of her interviews, Kimberly openly described herself as a “Pepsi addict” while talking about how much she loves the soft drink.
The comment caught fire online.
Before long, social media users started tagging Pepsi Uganda and calling on the brand to work with her. Some even rallied behind the idea using #KimberlyForPepsi.
It appears the campaign worked.
Pepsi Uganda has now officially welcomed Kimberly as one of its brand ambassadors, giving her supporters another reason to celebrate.
The partnership also joins a growing list of opportunities that have come Kimberly’s way since the pageant.
Casa Capri Nailbar recently announced her, alongside Miss Universe Uganda Mitchelle Daka and Joan Nabatanzi, as one of its brand ambassadors.
For Kimberly, who entered the pageant with dreams of pursuing biomedical engineering and a passion for mentoring young people, the journey has taken another unexpected turn.
From calling herself a “Pepsi addict” to becoming a Pepsi ambassador, one casual confession has now come full circle.