It's All About the Fans As Pepsi Unveils Massive, Immersive Football Program To Kick Off The Season

PURCHASE, N.Y., Sept. 4, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Pepsi always puts fans first and this football season is no exception. The brand, including Pepsi, Diet Pepsi and Pepsi Zero Sugar, is kicking off the 2018-2019 season by getting fans closer to the game they love with a robust, 360-degree program that brings football to their cities and into their homes like never before. From gear to grub and packaging to players, this Fall, Pepsi will be the catalyst that brings the best of football to fans everywhere.

Experience the interactive Multichannel News Release here: https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8393251-pepsi-tailgate-tour-immersive-football-program/

"We love football and Pepsi is all about enhancing the overall fan experience," said Todd Kaplan, Vice President of Marketing, Pepsi. "We want to be there for all the best moments that happen throughout the season – whether it's on your couch, at a tailgate or inside the stadium. And our plans for Kickoff this year are just the beginning of how we'll take our game to the next level this season with our NFL partnership."

Here's what Pepsi has planned:

• Pepsi Tailgate Tour: free multi-city stadium tailgate party open to all fans with stops at key college and NFL matchups. Tailgate Tour also includes mainstage performances by Wheelhouse Record's duo LOCASH (featuring their new hit single Feels Like a Party); a full gaming area featuring all-time tailgate favorites like cornhole, ladder ball and giant Jenga; special opportunities for fans to win Pepsi Stuff items, game tickets and more; and free ice cold Pepsi, Diet Pepsi and Pepsi Zero Sugar, as well as Frito-Lay snacks and other delicious tailgate foods. There will also be surprise meet-and-greets with NFL Legends and cheerleaders. Fans can visit www.PepsiTailgate.com to find out more details surrounding each stop (full itinerary follows).
• Pepsi TV Ads: debut of national television ads  –
  • "Theme Song" with Antonio Brown, Terry Bradshaw, Luke Kuechly and Dak Prescott, which follows diehard football fans as they gear up for Kickoff. Debuting Tuesday, Sept. 4.
  • "Ice the Kicker" with Carolina Panthers coach Ron Rivera and Devin Funchess, which tells the story about how thousands of fans in stadium use the power of Pepsi to make the game they love even better. Debuting in mid-September.
• Pepsi X NBC Sunday Night Football: for the first time, every weekend of the NFL season, Pepsi will be integrated into the "NBC Sunday Night Football" show open, which features Carrie Underwood in a high-energy performance leading into primetime television's No. 1 show for an unprecedented seven consecutive years.
• Pepsi Limited-Edition Packaging: unique, limited edition packaging available in select markets nationwide featuring 15 NFL teams presented on Pepsi 16 oz. cans and 32 NFL teams featured across Pepsi multi-pack cans.
• "Pepsi Stuff": Fans also can get their hands on football-themed premiums through Pepsi Stuff, including the brand new NFL X Pepsi bobble heads, featuring Pepsi's latest player roster. To grab the limited edition gear, fans can sign up at PepsiStuff.com, enter the code found on specially marked Pepsi packaging across regular, Diet Pepsi, Pepsi Zero Sugar and Pepsi Wild Cherry and start earning points to redeem.
• Circle K Partnership, 2018 Pepsi NFL Rookie-of-the-Year: as part of a year-long partnership with Circle K and Pepsi, NY Giants running back and NFL Rookie Saquon Barkley stars in the new TV ad, "Unreal Rookie Deal," which debuts on Tuesday, Sept. 4. Pepsi is excited to welcome Saquon into its roster of athletes, spotlighting him as a candidate to win the 2018 Pepsi NFL Rookie-of-the-Year campaign. Pepsi is partnering exclusively with Circle K for this year's campaign and launching a special $4 Unreal Rookie Deal. Fans can choose their favorite 20 oz. Pepsi or Polar Pop to pair with a hot dog and one bag of Frito-Lay chips. Starting Sept. 11, fans can head to nfl.com/rookies to make their 2018 Pepsi NFL Rookie-of-the-Year pick.

"There is no greater passion than that of a football fan. Pepsi has become synonymous with football season and I am excited to partner with them on their latest campaign – honoring the diehard fans (including me!) as they gear up for Kickoff," shared Terry Bradshaw.

All season long, join the #PepsiTailgateTour conversation across social on Twitter (@Pepsi) and Facebook, and visit YouTube.com/Pepsi to check out the latest TV ads, exclusive content and more. 

Pepsi Tailgate Tour Stops:

• 9/6 – Philadelphia, PA (LOCASH performance at 3 p.m. ET @ Great Plaza at Penn's Landing during the 2018 NFL Kickoff Experience)
• 9/15 – Arlington, TX (Ohio State vs. Texas Christian University)
• 9/16 – Arlington, TX (Cowboys)
• 9/29 – University Park, PA (Ohio State @ Penn State)
• 9/30 – Pittsburgh, PA (Steelers)
• 10/11 – East Rutherford, NJ (Giants)
• 10/14 – East Rutherford, NJ (Jets)
• 10/21 – Landover, MD (Redskins)
• 11/4 – Foxborough, MA (Patriots)
• 12/2 – Miami Gardens, FL (Dolphins)
• 12/8 – Philadelphia, PA (Army vs. Navy)

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 $63 billion in net revenue in 2017, driven by a complementary food and beverage portfolio that includes Frito-Lay, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Quaker and Tropicana. PepsiCo's product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including 22 brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales.

At the heart of PepsiCo is Performance with Purpose – our fundamental belief that the success of our company is inextricably linked to the sustainability of the world around us. We believe that continuously improving the products we sell, operating responsibly to protect our planet and empowering people around the world enable PepsiCo to run a successful global company that creates long-term value for society and our shareholders. For more information, visit www.pepsico.com.   

About LOCASH
Creating a sound that fuses modern Country and classic heartland rock with an edgy vocal blend, Wheelhouse Records' LOCASH is the Country music duo made up of singer-songwriters Chris Lucas and Preston Brust; natives of Baltimore, Maryland, and Kokomo, Indiana, respectively. With two albums and eight charting singles to their credit, LOCASH broke out in 2015 with their gracious GOLD-certified hit, "I Love This Life," followed by the flirtatious GOLD-certified #1 smash, "I Know Somebody" – their first trip to the top of the Country radio airplay charts – and 2017's fun-loving romantic anthem "Ring on Every Finger." All three singles were part of their album, THE FIGHTERS, which was released in the summer of 2016 to Top 15 success. In 2017, they earned their first round of awards show recognition, nominated at the ACM Awards for New Vocal Duo or Group of the Year, the CMT Music Awards for Duo Video of the Year ("I Know Somebody"), and the CMA Awards for Vocal Duo of the Year.  Their latest single "Feels Like A Party," is the pair's first release with their new label, BBR Music Group/BMG. 

SOURCE PepsiCo