5 Pepsi Brands Share Super Spotlight

By Kenneth Hein

January 30, 2008

NEW YORK Clearly illustrating just how much the beverage category has changed, PepsiCo said today that it would air Super Bowl ads for five different brands: Gatorade G2, Amp Energy, SoBe Life Water, Diet Pepsi Max and Pepsi.

In past years, the majority of this expensive ad time was typically devoted to "core" brands like Pepsi and Diet Pepsi. However, as consumer tastes continue to shift, promoting non-core energy drinks and non-carbonated beverages has become essential.

"It is an example of how the business has changed the last few years," said Pepsi-Cola North America rep Dave DeCecco. "Look at the depth of our portfolio. We have the chance to give each brand an opportunity to be in the limelight and at the center of pop culture."

Gatorade G2 will debut. New York Yankee Derek Jeter will show how the lower calorie drink can help athletes stay hydrated off of the field.

SoBe Life Water will be restaged with the help of supermodel Naomi Campbell. Life Water is PepsiCo's answer to Coca-Cola's Glacéau Vitaminwater, which will also get its first Super Bowl spot.

Showing just how far the energy category has come, Amp Energy will get two spots (one of which starring Dale Earnhardt Jr. will air during the pre-game show). Meanwhile, the highly caffeinated Diet Pepsi Max will air an ad featuring Busta Rhymes, LL Cool J, Macy Gray and Missy Elliott.

Rounding out the buy is a 60-second spot that uses Justin Timberlake to launch the new "Pepsi Stuff" promotion. Pepsi-Cola and Frito-Lay will air a pre-game ad filmed in sign language as well. BBDO, New York, handled all of PepsiCo's ads, except for G2 (Element 79, Chicago) and SoBe Life Water (The Arnell Group, New York).

Coca-Cola has also committed to at least one Coca-Cola Classic ad and is picking from among a pool of 11 possible spots for various brands for its remaining 60 seconds of airtime.

"Putting muscle and dollars behind a variety of products and categories is absolutely in sync with where the industry and where its growth is going," said John Sicher, editor of Beverage Digest. "It makes perfect sense with what has happened in the beverage business in recent years. Consumers want more choice."