Ahead of the 2024 NFL Regular Season and In
Anticipation of "Gladiator II", Pepsi Unleashes "Make Your Gameday
Epic™," Featuring "We Will Rock You (Megan Thee Stallion Version)",
Limited Consumer Collectibles, Special Offers At Retail and
More
PURCHASE, N.Y., Sept. 5,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Nearly 20 years after the PEPSI®
"Roman Empire" conquered pop culture, the brand is returning to the
arena with a colossal Gladiator-themed campaign titled, "Make Your
Gameday Epic™." As a longtime NFL sponsor, Pepsi is celebrating the
start of the 2024 NFL season and the highly anticipated theatrical
release of Paramount Pictures' "Gladiator II," only in theatres
November 22, with a short-film that
will electrify gamedays for cola-lovers and NFL fans alike. In it,
Megan Thee Stallion, as Empress
Megan, leads a legion of NFL superstars turned Gridiron Gladiators,
including Josh Allen, Derrick Henry, Justin
Jefferson and Travis Kelce,
locked in an epic battle with ice-cold Pepsi at the heart of the
action.
A brand-new gameday anthem from three-time, Grammy award-winning
artist Megan Thee Stallion
soundtracks the campaign. The unmistakable "boom, boom, clap" from
Queen's epic track "We Will Rock You" is featured on a fresh sample
with cutting new lyrics from Megan. The new track is available now
on all major music streaming platforms, and ahead of Megan hosting
the 2024 "VMAs" on September 11,
where the track and music-video inspired spot will show up
throughout the show.
"I'm honored to follow in the footsteps of the legends who
appeared in this Gladiator campaign 20 years ago and proud to have
carved my own new legacy," said Megan Thee
Stallion. "Pepsi really brought the worlds of music, sports
and entertainment together in a powerful way to set off the new NFL
season. It was fun putting my creative flip on such an iconic Queen
song and I can't wait for the Hotties to hear it!"
Drawing inspiration from the upcoming Gladiator II film and its
predecessor, "Make Your Gameday Epic™" is produced by Ridley Scott
Associates, Paramount Brand Studio, and directed by Jake Scott in collaboration with Paramount
Pictures. Leveraging the full breadth of Paramount Global's
platforms at launch, the spot opens with Lamorne Morris and Jake
Lacy peering into a can of Pepsi Zero Sugar as it transforms
into a colosseum. Empress Megan calls the shots, and the royal
roster of NFL players are at her command as they all vie for her
favor and a sip of an ice-cold Pepsi to officially "Let Gameday
Begin!"
"Bringing the epic world of Gladiator II to life in a modern,
dynamic way through this Pepsi campaign was incredibly exciting,"
said Jake Scott. "We wanted to
create a visual spectacle that captured the energy and intensity of
the sport while also paying homage to the iconic film and the
original Pepsi campaign. The collaboration with Pepsi and the
incredible talent involved made this project truly
unforgettable."
"What started as a theatrical brand partnership evolved into one
of the biggest promotional programs in our company's
history—spanning across theatrical marketing, CBS Sports and the
Paramount Global networks," said Marc
Weinstock, Paramount Pictures' President of Worldwide
Marketing & Distribution. "A film of this scope calls for a
truly epic campaign, and we can think of no more fitting
collaboration than with one of the most iconic brands in the
world."
Are You Not Entertained!?!
Fans can catch Empress
Megan and her subjects battle it out immediately here on the
brand's YouTube channel and on national television before and
during tonight's NFL game. Additional campaign extensions to get
everyone thinking about the Roman Empire include:
- "My Roman Empire" Portrait Generator Tool: Picture
yourself as a Gladiator or Roman
Royalty with the help of "My Roman Empire" where you can
upload or take a selfie and customize your look to share with your
friends & followers. Visit www.PepsiRomanEmpire.com to try
it!
- Talking Cans: One-of-a-kind limited run of collectors'
16oz cans featuring Pepsi's Gladiator talent with built-in
Augmented Reality capabilities that brings the can characters to
life via content captured on-set. Limited quantities of the cans
will be available via a consumer sweepstakes in early
November.
- New Music: "We Will Rock You (Megan Thee
Stallion Version)" will be available on all major music streaming
platforms starting September 5.
- 2024 MTV VMAs: Megan Thee
Stallion is set to host the award show on September 11, live from New York's UBS Arena. The show will feature a
special Gladiator-themed moment and the exclusive premiere of a
short film.
- Retail Rollout: In-store displays in both English and
Spanish will feature "Make Your GameDay Epic™" ("Prepárete Para Un
Partido Épico") across the nation.
- Fandango Offer: Buy $20 of
Pepsi products and get a $10 Fandango
movie reward toward a Gladiator II movie ticket*.
*Spend $20
(excluding tax) on participating PEPSI® beverage products
(excluding fountain drinks) at any physical or online retailer in
the U.S. between 10/6/24 and 12/6/24.
Limited Fandango Promo Codes ("Code") available. While Supplies
Last. Must be 18+ and a resident of the U.S. No manual
reproductions of receipt(s) will be accepted. Must create an
account and submit purchase receipt(s) for approval in order to be
qualified. Code good towards one movie ticket (up to $10 total ticket price and associated fees and
charges) to see Gladiator II at Fandango partner theaters in the
US. Limit 1 account and 2 Codes per household. Other terms and
restrictions apply, see www.earnrewards.com/pepsi/details for
full participation instructions, Code details and a complete list
of participating products.
"This gladiator-inspired campaign is a continuation of our
brand's long history of being on the forefront of culture,
collaborating with iconic artists and celebrating football.
Consumers are going to see the scale of this campaign everywhere
they shop, making sure everyone is getting ready for gameday this
fall with football, food, and ice-cold Pepsi," said Jenny Danzi, Head of Brand Marketing – Pepsi.
"This seismic campaign captures the essence of the excitement and
anticipation fans have for gameday and delivers the kind of
entertainment our audience has come to expect from us!"
For more information and to see "Make Your Gameday Epic™"
unfold, follow Pepsi social channels.
About PepsiCo
PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers more than one billion
times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the
world. PepsiCo generated more than $91
billion in net revenue in 2023, driven by a complementary
beverage and convenient foods portfolio that includes Lay's,
Doritos, Cheetos, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Mountain Dew, Quaker, and
SodaStream. PepsiCo's product portfolio includes a wide range of
enjoyable foods and beverages, including many iconic brands that
generate more than $1 billion each in
estimated annual retail sales.
Guiding PepsiCo is our vision to Be the Global Leader in
Beverages and Convenient Foods by Winning with pep+ (PepsiCo
Positive). pep+ is our strategic end-to-end transformation that
puts sustainability and human capital at the center of how we will
create value and growth by operating within planetary boundaries
and inspiring positive change for planet and people. For more
information, visit www.pepsico.com, and follow on X (Twitter),
Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn @PepsiCo.
About Gladiator II
From legendary director
Ridley Scott, Gladiator II continues
the epic saga of power, intrigue, and vengeance set in Ancient
Rome. Years after witnessing the death of the revered hero Maximus
at the hands of his uncle, Lucius (Paul Mescal) is forced to enter
the Colosseum after his home is conquered by the tyrannical
Emperors who now lead Rome with an
iron fist. With rage in his heart and the future of the Empire at
stake, Lucius must look to his past to find strength and honor to
return the glory of Rome to its
people.
About Paramount
Paramount Global (NASDAQ: PARA, PARAA)
is a leading global media, streaming and entertainment company that
creates premium content and experiences for audiences worldwide.
Driven by iconic consumer brands, Paramount's portfolio includes
CBS, Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon, MTV, Comedy Central, BET,
Paramount+ and Pluto TV. Paramount holds one of the industry's most
extensive libraries of TV and film titles. In addition to offering
innovative streaming services and digital video products, the
company provides powerful capabilities in production, distribution,
and advertising solutions.
For more information about Paramount, please visit
www.paramount.com and follow @ParamountCo on social
platforms.
About RSA Films
RSA Films is a global commercial
production company founded by directors Ridley and Tony Scott. Renowned for creative
excellence and production expertise, for over 50 years RSA Films
has produced innovative, award-winning campaigns for agencies and
brands worldwide. Based in London,
Amsterdam, Los Angeles, New
York, Hong Kong and
Greater China, and with a roster
of leading global creative and production talent, RSA Films
promotes diversity, purpose and agility in all forms of
content.
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SOURCE PepsiCo Beverages North America