Pepsi Celebrates NFL Fans Around the Country Who are "Made for Football Watching" in New Campaign

National TV Ads, Digital Extensions and more Hero the Elite Football...Watcher

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Aug 18, 2020, 09:00 ET

PURCHASE, N.Y., Aug. 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- While there is much uncertainty in the world of sports right now, one thing is certain: elite football fans will be watching this season, as passionately as ever. The truth is, fewer than 1 percent of 1 percent of 1 percent of people will ever play professional football. But while we're used to talking about athletes' elite performance on the field, nobody talks about what it takes to be an elite football watcher - the speed and precision it takes to make nachos and grab an ice cold Pepsi during a commercial break or the explosive power needed to leap off the couch to celebrate a TD.

These elite football watchers exist all across the U.S. - in fact, 95% of NFL fans watch games on TV¹. This is the inspiration for the new 2020 Pepsi football campaign - "Made for Football Watching," a robust campaign across TV, digital and retail connecting Pepsi with the millions whose passion for football runs deep, but doesn't cross onto the gridiron.

"Pepsi has always been an endemic part of the football viewing experience - whether it's in a stadium or on your couch. While things may look different this year, fans still share an unapologetic passion for the sport of football through the at-home viewing occasion," said Todd Kaplan, Vice President, Marketing at Pepsi. "While everyone may not have the athleticism of an elite athlete on the field, we all are made for football...watching. We believe the Sunday ritual of watching football at-home is definitely something worth celebrating."

Here's a glimpse of how Pepsi will bring "Made for Football Watching" to life this season:

TV Advertisements: Pepsi is rolling out multiple national tv spots, debuting today and primed to start running throughout NFL Week 1 games. Inspired by popular athletic apparel and athlete-focused TV spots, "Player" and "One Day" pull the rug out from the viewer to hero the average NFL superfan, enjoying a Sunday in front of the TV with an ice cold Pepsi in hand. The third spot, "Backyard," will premiere timed to NFL kickoff.
MadeForFootballWatching.com: An online hub to host the new spots and content to help plus up fan watching experiences, including custom team-specific sites tied to regional promotions.
Social Filters: Starting September 8, in time for Kickoff, a suite of social filters will live on MadeForFootballWatching.com. Pepsi created various designs to help immortalize the football watcher - whether you're the "Offensive Channel Changer" or the "First Down Chip Dipper."
Football Watcher Intros: Pepsi will have a media integration reimagining the player intros in-game, that spotlights fans watching from home, to run coming out of commercial breaks in game.
Regional activations: Pepsi will activate its 16 NFL team partnerships- including the newest, the Philadelphia Eagles, to help bring unforgettable experiences and surprise and delight moments all season. A number of initiatives will roll out for football fans across the country including the ultimate Home Field Advantage which will surprise fans at home with game day snacks and prizes in the South, celebrations timed to kickoff home games at the new LA football stadium, a fan-favorite t-shirt collaboration in the Midwest and team-specific content featuring fan-favorite players and alumni throughout the Northeast.
Pepsi NFL Laces Cans: The popular Pepsi "Laces Can" makes its nationwide debut after regional runs timed to Super Bowl LIII in 2019 and LIV in 2020. Fans can also look for team-specific branded 12-packs of Pepsi, Pepsi Zero Sugar and Diet Pepsi cans.
Bringing the stadium experience into the home: In the lead up to Kickoff, Pepsi will be unveiling exciting and engaging fan experiences that bring the football stadium into the home.

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 $67 billion in net revenue in 2019, 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 23 brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales.

Guiding PepsiCo is our vision to Be the Global Leader in Convenient Foods and Beverages by Winning with Purpose. "Winning with Purpose" reflects our ambition to win sustainably in the marketplace and embed purpose into all aspects of the business. For more information, visit www.pepsico.com

¹Source: SSRS X Luker on Trends Sports Poll 2019

SOURCE PepsiCo