Fox and Pepsi created a new pop culture trivia game show around the Wild Cherry Pepsi brand, but their collaboration isn’t confined to the TV screen.
In addition to Cherries Wild, which premieres Sunday, Feb. 14 at 7 p.m. ET, the partnership includes a companion app and a retail execution.
The six-episode, 30-minute show, hosted by Jason Biggs, is the first show fully built around a Pepsi product. But Fox is no stranger to partnerships with the soda brand. Pepsi sponsored The X Factor in 2011 and was involved in a major integration with hit drama Empire in 2015.
“We’ve always been thinking differently, beyond traditional advertising,” said Todd Kaplan, vp of marketing, colas, Pepsi. “It all stems from where we see specifically marketing going in the future: we know consumers are looking for content that entertains them in new ways and formats.”
An accompanying app, also called Cherries Wild, debuted ahead of the series on Apple and Android, to keep consumers engaged with the Pepsi brand as the show airs.
“It was really important for our team to think beyond a linear TV show and really deliver an all-encompassing, immersive experience that would bring viewers closer to the energy and drama of a primetime game show,” said Kaplan. He noted that 73% of adults use a digital device while watching TV, and 55% of those are playing mobile games.
The Cherries Wild app allows fans to play in conjunction with contestants on the show or separately. During the show, a segment called “The Pepsi Wild Moment” will allow users to match their slots on the app to the actual one in the game for the chance to win from their couches. Players can also play against friends, connect via social media and win real time prizes to the tune of thousands of dollars.
The app also includes a QR code for use in retail stores, which also are involved in the campaign. “If you go into your local retailer in the month of February, you’ll see these displays that are a call to action about the show and bring to your attention everything,” said Kaplan. “We’re going to have all our Pepsi Wild Cherry out in marketing that will take you to a direct, unique experience within the game.”
The Cherries Wild partnership differs from past integrations with the network in that instead of bringing in brands to existing shows, Pepsi and Fox built Cherries Wild from the ground up.
Suzanne Sullivan, evp of ad sales at Fox Entertainment, said that since Charlie Collier came onboard as CEO of Fox Entertainment in October 2018, one of Fox’s missions has been to ask its clients to challenge the company in new ways. “Pepsi took us up on it,” she said: the brand approached Fox last summer with the idea for Cherries Wild.
“Whenever we do any kind of innovation, whether it’s something basic, like an ad format, or any kind of a partnership, it’s got to check two boxes,” said Sullivan. “It’s got to bring value to our audience—because at the end of the day, that’s what’s most important—and then also bring value to the advertisers.”
Both Fox and Pepsi emphasize that the series is not simply a half-hour advertisement for the soda brand. “At the end of the day, we want content consumers want to see,” said Kaplan. “And that’s exactly what Fox wants as well. We have a shared vision of creating a new media model, creating engaging content that is really fun, entertaining and engaging for their consumers.”
This new model of integration might be something viewers see more of in the future from Fox. “Everything that we’re doing right now is a lot about experimentation, so sometimes you’re figuring it out on the fly,” said Sullivan. “And quite frankly, during the pandemic even more so, because challenges come up that you can’t possibly plan for.”
As for future partners other than Pepsi, “I’m not sure every advertiser necessarily has the appetite to do something this big,” said Sullivan. “But we would love to continue to be challenged by our partners to create new innovative, whether it’s a full-length show or an app.”
