- Pepsi is celebrating the beginning of the 2024 NFL season and upcoming theatrical release of “Gladiator II” with a brand new campaign, “Make Your Gameday Epic,” per a press release.
- In an epic 3-minute video, Megan Thee Stallion raps a new edition of Queen’s iconic “We Will Rock You” as NFL stars Josh Allen, Derrick Henry, Justin Jefferson and Travis Kelce battle in a colosseum that eventually transforms right into a football stadium.
- The campaign also features a selfie generator tool, augmented reality equipped “talking” cans, retail elements and a Fandango offer. It demonstrates how major marketers are bringing together sports and culture marketing.
Pepsi is looking for an all-in blitz on popular culture with “Make Your Gameday Epic,” a campaign that transports superstars from the NFL, pop music and tv to a world inspired by “Gladiator II,” the highly-anticipated sequel to Ridley Scott’s 2000 film that releases Nov. 22. The effort also nods to a meme about how often men think concerning the Roman Empire that first gained steam on TikTok last 12 months.
In the 3-minute anthem spot, Lamorne Morris (“New Girl”) and Jake Lacy (“The White Lotus”) discuss fantasy football before looking right into a Pepsi can that transforms right into a colosseum. The actors have a front-row seat as NFL superstars (or “Gridiron Gladiators”) battle tigers while “Empress” Megan Thee Stallion raps over “We Will Rock You.” Eventually, the colosseum becomes a football stadium after which a Pepsi can, with Kelce quoting an iconic line from the unique “Gladiator:” “Are you not entertained?”
“This gladiator-inspired campaign is a continuation of our brand’s long history of being on the forefront of culture, collaborating with iconic artists and celebrating football,” said Jenny Danzi, head of name marketing at Pepsi, in a press statement. “Consumers are going to see the dimensions of this campaign in all places they shop, ensuring everyone seems to be preparing for gameday this fall with football, food, and ice-cold Pepsi.”
The video was produced by Ridley Scott Associates, Paramount Brand Studio and directed by Jake Scott in collaboration with Paramount Pictures.
To extend the campaign beyond the screen, Pepsi has planned several digital and in-person activations. A “My Roman Empire” tool lets consumers turn selfies into gladiator or Roman Royalty portraits, while limited-edition 16-ounce cans, available via sweepstakes, bring on-set content to life via AR. The campaign also includes English and Spanish in-store displays and a suggestion that offers consumers a $10 Fandango movie reward after they buy $20 value of Pepsi products.
For her part, Megan Thee Stallion’s version of “We Will Rock You” is out there on streaming platforms. The rap star will host the 2024 MTV VMAs on Sept. 11, which can include a “Gladiator-themed moment.” The musical element ties back to an identical campaign that launched nearly 20 years ago featuring Beyoncé, Britney Spears and Pink that also reworked “We Will Rock You” in a gladiator-inspired setting. While often misremembered as a Super Bowl ad, that campaign never aired in America.
Pepsi’s NFL campaign comes on the identical day as sister brand Tostitos launches its biggest NFL campaign up to now, meant to shore up the brand’s position as Official Chip and Dip of the NFL. PepsiCo’s Frito-Lay and beverages divisions last 12 months united for a campaign that “unretired” NFL legends Dan Marino, Emmitt Smith, Jerry Rice and Randy Moss, amongst others.
Read the total article here
