Words by Alexi Jay
The Superbowl half-time show is a ritual many enjoy – but how exactly did Pepsi come to rule it?
On the fierce rivalries that exist between brands, Jack Welch’s famous adage comes to mind: “number one, cash is king; number two, communicate, number three, buy or bury the competition.” Carmakers would rather Tesla didn’t exist, Adidas could do without Nike – and a fight would probably break out if Ronald Mcdonald ever crossed paths with The Burger King.
My point is this: business rivalries are a big deal. Profit motives aside, they produce endless marketing battles, the likes of which Don Draper would be proud of. And when it comes to such rivalries, none have been more culturally influential than Coke v Pepsi.
It’s a battle as old as Cain and Abel, with media and advertising the chosen arena for their endless showdowns. To win, big budgets, ideas and stars are needed. Take Michael Jackson’s ‘Pepsi Generation campaign’, for example. It’s still considered the crème de la crème – and many brands have tried long and hard to replicate its impact. In an age where young folks actually spent time watching TV, it was the best way to engage with youth culture – giving Pepsi a ‘New Generation’ of customers. Like magic, it worked. Pepsi’s sales grew to $7.7 billion in 1984 with a sizeable increase in market share.
In the 90s, the brand enlisted Cindy Crawford, conquering the era of supermodels and hotpants. Then came the Spice Girls, with the ‘Generation Next’ campaign. Produced by ad agency AMV BBDO, it was a chance to engage with a new generation. By 2004, few could compete with Pepsi’s ad game: they created one of their best-loved adverts, ‘The Gladiators’, featuring Beyonce, Pink, and Britney Spears. To the tune of Queen’s We Will Rock You, they take down the ‘evil’ Emperor Enrique Iglesias.
These days – given our obsession with short-form videos – these ads may be resigned to the history books – but like George Clooney, they’ve aged well. Viewed in context, they offer a glimpse into society and culture at that time.
But in 2017, Pepsi found it hard to recreate their magic moments: their ‘Live for Now’ campaign with Kendall Jenner flopped, igniting the condemnation anger of global audiences. It forced the brand to pull the plug on the campaign – and made Jenner the subject of endless criticism. The ad itself followed the death of George Floyd and the global protests that followed. Upon witnessing the anger of protesting crowds, Jenner swoops in. To save the day, she hands a police officer a can of Pepsi, making a mockery of a serious issue: “can’t believe Kendall Jenner just solved institutionalised racism and oppression by giving a cop a Pepsi”, one tweeted.
For the next five years, the brand stayed away from all fizzy campaigns – except, perhaps, from the Superbowl ad featuring Steve Carell, Cardi B and Lil Jon. True, it wasn’t quite Michael Jackson – but it was the safer, lighter option given the circumstances. It was okay – or as the kids say ‘skrrt, skrrt.’
Now, in 2022, The Call, it seems, has arrived: opening with Eminem battling Slim Shady, the brand’s latest ad is a nod to the present – and a hark back to the late 90s and early 2000s. It arouses collective nostalgia, reminding us of a perceived better time. From Snoop Dogg’s trademark use of bouncing Cadillacs to Mary J Blige’s Family Affair, Kendrick Lamar’s appearance to Dr Dre’s involvement, it’s the perfect celebration of some of hip-hop and music’s most famous and celebrated names.
The Call is anything but HUMBLE. As the track transitions to the classic ‘Still Dre’ hit, the year 2001 is brought into 2022. The piano key’s in the sea play the iconic intro chords and we see Dre walking on the sand. Snoops ask the infamous rhetorical question once again, Guess Who’s Back? (Pepsi).