The Power of #Now: Relaunching Pepsi

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By: Kim Orchen Cooper

"Interactive" is loosely defined in our current transmedia world. We all recognize that it’s not enough to just ‘like’ a brand on Facebook; brands need to create opportunities to convert interest to engagement. Election years offer a ripe opportunity for reinvention, and Pepsi is rebranding once again to further capture the prized young adult (first-time voters!) demo. Pepsi’s 2008 logo redesign garnered casual discussion and heated debate over its resemblance to Obama’s campaign emblem, drawing measurable attention, yet it didn’t impact sales significantly; carbonated soft drinks (CSD) sales decreased slightly in 2008, and market share of the Top 10 CSD proved relatively flat, according to Beverage Digest. The accompanying slogan “Refresh Everything” proved particularly successful in its now-complete philanthropic Pepsi Refresh Project, which awarded over 1,000 grants over a two-year span. The goodwill generated in association with the brand carries far beyond its targeted consumers.

Pepsi takes aim at a new online approach, launching Live for Now, a platform created by digital agency Organic, as part of the brand’s global relaunch. The redesigned website, Pulse (in beta), focuses on a real-time dashboard with bold current news links and engaging conversation topics. Hashtag #NOW is featured prominently, encouraging visitors/consumers to dialogue, tweet, ‘like,’ and ‘pin’ items of interest from the dashboard to spread the word. There are #NOW Offers for local deals and events, as well as celebrity #NOW Challenges where earned points can be used to gain access to “Live for Now” special events. Exclusive Twitter-enabled concerts will draw this precious youth audience closer to the music they love, courtesy of Pepsi.

Positioning Pepsi on the forefront for this campaign is musical artist Nicki Minaj, debuting in a TV ad on May 2; recalling Michael Jackson as Pepsi’s “voice of a generation” in the '80s and Britney Spears as she enticed Bob Dole in the '90s. A Yahoo homepage takeover will connect the digital dots of cross-promotion.

A PepsiCo press release details that the bilingual portal was developed in partnership with PepsiCo’s integrated multi-disciplinary team of Omnicom agencies, including Alma, BBDO Worldwide, OMD, Organic, TBWA Worldwide and TraceyLocke Partners.

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About the Author

Kim Orchen Cooper is an entertainment, marketing and PR vet who now spends her days commenting on other people's ideas. Follow her shenanigans @go2gal_LA.

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