• Brandweek, Tuesday, August 7, 2007 11:17 AM

In an effort to lure men to its new zero-calorie soda spiked with ginseng and extra caffeine, three new Diet Pepsi Max spots starring Dallas Cowboy notables will break prior to the kickoff of the NFL season on Sept. 6. Quarterback Tony Romo, owner Jerry Jones and new coach Wade Phillips will fall victim to a yawn--as in previous executions--during key game situations. The new drink stops the yawn.

Diet Pepsi Max launched in June as the answer to Coca-Cola's male-focused Coke Zero. But for males with little interest in diet drinks, the new product may itself elicit yawns. "The NFL is a crazy expensive asset to use to put a product before someone who doesn't care," says Ted Wright, managing partner at word-of mouth beverage marketing company Fizz.

History shows that line extensions do little to boost the Pepsi trademark. The company has tried everything from Pepsi Blue to Pepsi One. The net result is that trademark Pepsi volume shrank 7.8% between 2000 and 2006, per Beverage Digest.

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