With a few weeks to go until the start of the college football on September 3, Deutsch L.A. launched a new spot for Dr. Pepper with an eye on the College Football Playoffs, which the brand is sponsoring.
A 30-second spot sees the return of the brand’s Larry Culpepper character from last year, as the concession worker prepares for the upcoming season. In the ad, which launches today, Culpepper says that “Nobody believes I’ve got any magic left,” and is set to prove his doubters wrong. He trains by filling a tray with Dr. Pepper and running up and down the stands so that when the season begins he can reach thirsty patrons quickly. The spot ends with the message, “The Tradition Begins Again,” followed by logos for Dr. Pepper and the National Championship Trophy.
Dr. Pepper’s six-year sponsorship agreement allows the brand to display the National Championship Trophy and College Football Playoffs logos, but not those of any NCAA teams. So the Culpepper character was created last year out of necessity. The approach “gives us the right to be there and play and interact with fans in a really authentic way,” Dr. Pepper senior vice president of marketing and sponsorships Jaxie Alt told AdAge. In addition to the initial broadcast spot, the campaign also includes social media extensions, integrations with ESPN and a campaign microsite, designed by The Richards Group with the intention of making it look like it was created by Culpepper himself.