Pepsi to let consumers make commercials in this IPL season

Company says it is their biggest 'socially-led, content-driven' initiative to date

Food and beverages major PepsiCo, the title sponsor for the Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket tournament, is ready to take a risk by handing over the control of campaigns for brand Pepsi this season, according to Ruchira Jaitly, senior director (social beverages), PepsiCo India.

As part of its global campaign Pepsi Challenge, which the company terms its largest socially-led, content-driven initiative to date, consumers will make advertisements or campaigns for brand Pepsi which will be run on television, digital media and on ground, throughout the IPL season between April 8 and May 24.

The company says Indian consumers will have the opportunity to show their affection for the Pepsi brand by making 30-second ad films on the theme ‘Crash the Pepsi IPL’. A jury will select the best entries and those will be aired. “There will be six new advertisements every weekend throughout the IPL season,” said Jaitly. On the last weekend, best consumer voted advertisements will be aired, she added.

“It is a risk. But, it is all about the consumers,” said Jaitly. Finalists will get a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh.

Jaitly said Pepsi Challenge would take off from India and it will be launched in other markets later on. “While this is the first set, there will be different Challenges, including some global ones, throughout the year,” she added. Pepsi will continue to have its own commercials for all other brands during the IPL season.

Globally, the company has enlisted celebrities such as Usher, Usain Bolt and Serena Williams for a year-long promotion designed to spread widely on social media. According to its global statement, Pepsi will announce new challenges on social and digital channels via the ambassadors, urging consumers to take on the global and local challenges that combine pop culture with social good every month.

“Pepsi Challenge is an iconic piece of our brand equity and in many ways established our can-do attitude and spirit,” said Kristin Patrick, senior vice-president and chief marketing officer of PepsiCo Global Beverage Brands, in a statement.

Jaitly said the company was yet to take a decision on whether to increase prices for its soft drinks or not as the Budget proposals were yet to be officially notified. Budget 2015-16 had proposed a marginal increase in excise duty on aerated drinks and flavoured water from 17.5 per cent to 18 per cent.