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Pepsi Brings Amaro, Elton John, Philbin To Bowl

Pepsi-Super-Bowl-spot-Amaro-and-JohnWhile analysts expect PepsiCo to announce on Feb. 9 that it’s upping its spending by $400 million to $500 million in 2012 -- in large part to provide more support for its core soft drink and snack brands -- the company certainly hasn’t stinted on spending for its beverages’ Super Bowl XLVI presence.

PepsiCo has released details about the components of its Bowl efforts, including sneak previews of new, celebrity-studded TV spots, plus social media initiatives and a long list of Bowl tie-in events.

Flagship Pepsi’s 60-second ad, dubbed “King’s Court,” features 201’s “The X Factor” winner Melanie Amaro singing for a “royal court of rock,” including “king” Elton John. Amaro sings a contemporized version, recorded for the TV ad, of the Aretha Franklin classic “Respect.”

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The “medieval rock fantasy” spot --  produced by TBWA/Chiat Day and directed by Noam Murro -- ends with a (not yet revealed) twist and the tagline: “Where There’s Pepsi, There’s Music.”

Intended positioning: Pepsi is the brand for people “not afraid to take a chance, raise their voices and give it their all.” Also: Pepsi’s taste “is worth challenging a king for.”

Amaro’s prizes for winning “X Factor” included appearing in the Pepsi Super Bowl ad, as well as a $5-million recording contract.

Pepsi-Superbowl-Philbin-PepsiCo's second Bowl ad, a 30-second spot for Pepsi MAX (the official soft drink of the NFL), features Regis Philbin in his first television project since leaving "Live! With Regis and Kelly."

 

The spot shows a Coke Zero deliveryman trying to buy a bottle of Pepsi MAX in a supermarket discreetly, only to be unexpectedly picked as the grand-prize winner of “Pepsi MAX for Life.” Philbin appears as an "on- the-spot reporter” capturing the hapless, soon-to-be-famous deliveryman’s reactions. Heightening the competitive jab, the spot is backed by a recording of the Hank Williams classic “Your Cheatin’ Heart” by Sugarland’s Jennifer Nettles.

PepsiCo will tie several social media/digital programming initiatives into the game.

Pepsi fans who "Shazam" the “King’s Court” spot during the game will be able to view Amaro's “Respect” music video. There will also be an NFL-themed version of Pepsi Sound Off, the brand-led social TV platform that Pepsi launched during “The X Factor” to engage consumers in a real-time “viewing party” with celebrity hosts, plus a branded, Super Bowl-themed Pandora station offering fans Pepsi-curated music/programming before, during and after the game. Finally, through the social network Get Glue, fans will be able to check in and unlock exclusive content and free Pepsi.

In addition, Pepsi and Pepsi MAX will host a slew of Super Bowl activities in Indianapolis between Jan. 27 and Feb. 5, including:

  • PepsiCo’s annual pre-Super Bowl party, featuring performances by Amaro and One Republic.
  • Pepsi’s Super Bowl Fan Jam concert series. Events include the Latin-music Univision Pepsi Musica concert, featuring performances by Don Omar, L. Hernandez and others; a nationally televised VH1/Pepsi concert featuring Gym Class Heroes, B.o.B. and the All-American Rejects (with guest appearances by celebrities and NFL players); and a CMT Crossroads/Pepsi concert featuring Carrie Underwood and Steven Tyler.
  • Pepsi MAX presence at the NFL Experience, where fans can win “Pepsi MAX for Life.”
  • Tazon Latino VI, PepsiCo’s annual celebrity flag football game featuring NFL alumni and Hispanic celebrities.
  • PepsiCo’s Rookie of the Year award, which this year will be presented during the inaugural NFL Honors awards show, hosted by Alec Baldwin, and will include a recap of the five rookie award nominees from rapper Nick Javas. Pepsi Max is also the presenting sponsor of the AP Offensive and Defensive Rookie of the Year awards.

In addition to all of the above, Pepsi MAX is part of Papa John’s “coin toss” promotion, in which members of the pizza chain’s rewards program will all win a free pizza and bottle of Pepsi MAX if their dominant online votes correctly predict which way the coin toss turns out on game day.

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