This will be the first time in 23 years that Pepsi will not air an Advert during the US Super Bowl. This is a huge change for Pepsi - culturally and financially.
Pepsi will focus its energy and money on its online presence where the brand believes a younger and accessible audience is spending its time.
Just like many other brands (GAP, Budweiser and Coca-Cola) who have switched to an online marketing strategy in order to encourage consumers to engage with their products via the Internet, Pepsi has developed a project called “The Pepsi Refresh Project” which will feature social-networking campaigns that leverage the participate/contribute-and-vote-online model.
Pepsi is looking to appeal to the consumer’s more compassionate side by offering grants "to those presenting the best ideas to improve the communities we call home and, perhaps, transform the society we call America.”
The $20 million digital-based project will highlight a new website and a presence on Facebook. The social platform is now widely used as it allows corporations to contact consumers directly with the creation of brand-centric pages and themed applications.
If this change of strategy reveals to be successful, it will be interesting to see how other major brands invest in Super Bowl commercials in the future!
