The Pepsi Refresh Project

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Pepsi Cola has been a long running staple in the Super Bowl commercial lineup. 23 years to be exact. But for the 2010 Super Bowl, Pepsi’s famous commercials were not shown. Pepsi Co Inc is a parent company to Frito Lay, which aired multiple Doritos commercials, but now the cola company is focusing on the Pepsi Refresh Project, an online cause marketing campaign that will fund grants for philanthropic efforts.

Why is Pepsi doing this? The conclusion is after many years of TV advertising campaigns, running an expensive commercial for the sake of entertainment is just not enough anymore. Even with Pepsi’s endorsement deals with major celebrities, Pepsi has never been able to pull itself in front of its rival, Coca Cola.

The brand has already achieved becoming a household name not needing the exposure of another costly commercial during the Super Bowl. Deciding to put their advertising dollars to work is a smart move by Pepsi, who will now use their brand power for the greater good.

At $2.5 million a pop for a 30-second ad spot, a small jump in sales is just not as important ...
... as working towards a new long term marketing goal. The shift will help Pepsi achieve a positive image in the public eye.

Something to note, Pepsi is using the internet rather than TV as the medium to engage and build its followers. I recently wrote a blog post on how Pepsi has a notable website and a social media campaign that included a Twitter profile, a Facebook page and an attractive YouTube channel.

Other than marketing with social media, the focal point of their online cause marketing campaign is their Refresh Blog Project that provides a platform for people who have a great idea for charitable projects. The best or most “refreshing” ideas will be voted on and Pepsi will award a grant and donate funds to see these projects through.

Personally, I am excited to see a large corporation use this kind of marketing strategy. Cause marketing is not a new approach, but it fits the mood of the current times. By using the name “refreshing” Pepsi is trying to invoke a feeling of something modern, sincere and invigorating. For Pepsi, that should be the exact sentiment you would want a consumer to think of when deciding one cola over the other.