• by David Goetzl  @dgoetzl, December 21, 2011

PepsiCo, which had said it would be back in the Super Bowl in February plugging its flagship brand after a year off, said Wednesday it would do so with two spots.

At least one aspect of the creative is known. A spot will feature the winner of Fox’s “The X Factor.” Pepsi did not release details about the second. Pepsi’s Super Bowl ad presence began in 1987.

As with most Super Bowl advertisers, it said the TV spots will not stand alone, but will be complemented by digital and retail initiatives and promotions in Indianapolis, site of the big game.

Pepsi’s wide-ranging sponsorship deal with Fox regarding “The X Factor” requires it to feature the winner in the big-game spot. Leading up to the February game on NBC, a Pepsi Max spot featuring New York Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez and Coach Rex Ryan will debut Christmas Eve.

In 2010, when the Pepsi brand took a year off, it fell behind Diet Coke in the second spot in market share in the U.S.