NEW YORK: PepsiCo has launched a new global football campaign in support of the UEFA Champions League partnership across Men’s and Women’s leagues, bringing together an impressive lineup of the world’s best footballers, expanding its roster led Leo Messi and world champion Paul Pogba, with two new additions to the squad: Borussia Dortmund sensation Jadon Sancho, and UEFA Women’s Champions League winner Shanice van de Sanden.
The football effort is led by a high-energy film, “Fizz to Life”, that showcases epic football skills set to a custom music track created for the campaign, “Rotate”, by global superstar Becky G and two-time Grammy nominated Afro-fusion musician Burna Boy.
The creative showcases how Pepsi football breaks the bubble of the 90-minute game. The ad opens with a student on her laptop. A beat drops, and the sound of a can of Pepsi being opened awakens images of Messi, Pogba, Sancho and van de Sanden on the walls. The chase for the can of Pepsi is on as the players show off their flair and charisma with fast-paced football skills, shuffling and dribbling while leaping in and out of posters and magazines around the room.
The commercial is directed by Raine Allen-Miller, a powerful new voice in filmmaking. For this collaboration with Pepsi, she incorporates her quick-fire storytelling style to show just how far the players will go for the Pepsi fizz.
In addition to the hero creative, “Rotate” will be the soundtrack for an array of digital content across multiple social platforms where fans will be able to interact with their favorite players, including a world-first football challenge with TikTok Duet. Additionally, the campaign’s limited-edition packaging, which integrates designs rooted in music culture and featuring the four players, gives fans an augmented reality experience accessed through a QR code* on pack. When scanned, consumers can play an interactive game with their favorite players and share their scores to Instagram Stories.
“In 2021, we are celebrating unstoppable human spirit, not in spite of the times we’re in, but because this is a moment and no matter what, we need to keep moving forward with a smile,” said Natalia Filippociants, vice president, Marketing, Global Beverages, PepsiCo. “From music to football, the new creative encourages the world to break free of conventions, expectations and the bubble of sameness that we often find ourselves in.”
In the United States, the campaign will sport the taglines “That’s What I Like” and “Es Lo Que Quiero” for American consumers watching on CBS and Univision, respectively. Pepsi is also bringing a host of consumer engagement experience to life in the US; at retail, on social media platforms, and with a national sweepstakes campaign, specifically:
National Sweepstakes: Fans looking for more ways to win can do so with a national text-to-win sweepstakes and the chance to score unique Pepsi and UEFA Champions League merchandise multiple times every week -full details are at pepsipromos.com/goal
Interactive Social Content: Pepsi is issuing a world-first football challenge with TikTok Duet content and the return of the Messi Trick Serve challenge, where fans can get closer to their favorite players and dance along to “Rotate.”
POS Imagery: The brand is unveiling unique point-of-sale imagery at select national retail partners with over 25,000 individual locations, including 7-11, CircleK, Family Dollar, Kroger, Publix, Dollar General and Walmart.
Limited Edition Messi packaging: the design brings the unique beat and creative elements of the “Fizz to Life” commercial to fans through QR codes on select 12oz 12 & 15 packs, 16oz cans, and the new 2L packaging unveiled at the end of 2020. When scanned, the QR codes will transport fans to an interactive game with their favorite players and gives them the opportunity to share their scores to Instagram Stories.
