Objectives

With loyal and occasional cola drinkers shifting towards healthier beverages, the carbonated soft drink category has been declining. But Pepsi fans know what they like: from binge watching music content to cheering loudest at concerts, our target is unapologetic in their love of music, pop culture, and of course, Pepsi. To pay tribute to this audience, Pepsi would need to act as an emcee to a fan-first moment like no other.

It’s no secret that Award Show ratings have been declining in the face of cord cutters and behavioral shifts favoring social media. As a long-standing VMA collaborator, Pepsi found an opportunity to break the traditional Award Show integration mold to deliver a true fan-first moment. Pepsi uncovered an insight around fellow unapologetic icon, Missy Elliott that would elevate our cola drinkers’ passion for music and serve as the strategic platform for the campaign.

With the fans top of mind, Pepsi set out to deliver a 360-program that would drive engagement, brand favorability, and ultimately reinforce Pepsi’s connection to music.

Strategy and Execution

Pepsi, a longtime collaborator of the VMA’s, noticed a surprising trend in social conversation during the 2018 VMAs.  While JLo was the #1 trending tweet as the 2018 Video Vanguard honoree, Missy Elliott garnered nearly as many mentions[1]. Impassioned fans took to Twitter to declare August 20th, the day of the 2018 VMA’s, #MissyElliottAppreciationDay. Pepsi recognized the same unapologetic nature of Missy Elliott and her fans as it did with Pepsi drinkers. With that initial spark, Pepsi fanned the flame that would set the stage for VMAs 2019.

By tapping into fan-first insights, Pepsi “flipped and reversed” the traditional sponsorship script to craft a 360-program with a distribution strategy that celebrated Missy and let her fanbase live out their unapologetic love.

• We met Missy fans where they were: on social. Despite an 8% slip in 2018 VMA ratings, there was a 46% increase in social engagement[2].  So, we let the fandom play out through a sweepstakes to win one-of-a-kind Missy merchandise.
• Missy fans, many of whom are millennials, value limited-edition merchandise for the cultural currency[3] it carries. Pepsi tapped into the fervor to reward these unapologetic fans with an exclusive Missy Elliott jersey designed by prolific streetwear designer, ClawMoney.
• Knowing that 2/3 Millennials believe that attending live experiences allow them to connect with their friends and community[4], Pepsi and MTV created the first-ever Museum of Missy Elliott in New York City. Pepsi developed an “insta-worthy” museum that allowed fans to immerse themselves into Missy’s iconic music videos through engaging set designs. A custom nail bar gave fans the chance to “bling it up” like Missy while a unique AR activation let fans insert themselves into “The Rain” costume.
• Pepsi painted the 2019 VMAs blue by tapping into Missy’s celebrity collaborators to create custom brand tribute spots.  For the first time in VMA’s history, Pepsi converted paid air time into integrated in-show content that would live in the VMA’s in perpetuity.
  • Pepsi kicked off the night with a :30 red carpet integration with Missy fan, Normani, & custom branded bumpers that reminded fans throughout the show to stay tuned for the Missy Vanguard Moment.
  • To ignite excitement for Missy’s live performance, we created 2x :60s Vignettes that featured Missy collaborators & fans such as Justin Timberlake, Ciara, Timberland, Lizzo, & Pharrell paying homage to Missy.
  • To introduce Missy’s Vanguard performance, Pepsi invited fans to “lose control” through a custom co-branded :15 featuring Missy’s voice.
  • Closing out the epic Missy performance, Pepsi mirrored Missy’s unique style and iconic backwards lyrics, by creating 1x :30 Pepsi spot featuring an original face from iconic Missy videos: dancer and VMA Vanguard performer, Alyson Stoner.

[1] Crimson Hexagon ForSight, Jan 2018 - April 2019 

[2] Esquire, This Is the End of the MTV VMAs As We Know Them 2018  https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/tv/a22798557/this-is-the-end-of-the-mtv-vmas-as-we-know-them/

[3] VOGUE BUSINESS, Gen Z Wants Something Very Different From Streetwear, 2019 https://www.business2community.com/strategy/why-millennials-value-experiences-not-stuff-02142266

[4] Business 2 Community, Why Millennials Value Experiences, Not Stuff, 2018 https://www.business2community.com/strategy/why-millennials-value-experiences-not-stuff-02142266

Results

Pepsi’s efforts surrounding Missy’s VMA Vanguard successfully drove brand results:

• Fan Engagement:
  1.  Overall, partnership engagement was 3.53x higher than past Pepsi x Viacom campaigns[1]
• Brand Favorability:
  1. Pepsi’s Vanguard takeover generated a +31% lift in Brand Opinion and +71% lift in Purchase Consideration among VMA viewers + engagers[2]
• Pepsi’s Connection to Music:
  1. 9 out of 10 VMA viewers felt that Pepsi’s live Missy takeover made them “stand out” and that the brand sponsors “cool and interesting shows, artists, and events”5
  2. Further driving Pepsi’s cultural cache, Missy loved the Museum so much, she hosted her exclusive VMA’s afterparty in the space

[1] Viacom O&O Performance, Crimson Hexagon (8/10-9/30)

[2] 2019 Viacom Ad Effectiveness & Sponsorship Integration Study

Media