Back in December, Pepsi shocked news outlets by abandoning a 23-year tradition of placing Super Bowl ads in exchange for giving away over $20 million in a social media campaign. Voting has officially started for Pepsi’s “Refresh Everything” campaign, which rewards its virtual audience with between $5,000 and $250,000 for individuals, businesses, or charitable organizations who want to turn their ideas about bettering the world into a reality. Pepsi accepts up to 1000 submissions during the first 2 weeks of the month, and then lets the virtual audience vote on their favorites by the end of the month. Up to 32 submissions can win per month.
Pepsi is using Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and the “Refresh Everything” website to promote the contest. Celebrities Demi Moore and Kevin Bacon and their “Refresh Everything” ideas are featured on Pepsi’s Facebook page. Facebook users are invited to fan the Pepsi page and vote for their favorite celebrity idea. On Twitter, Pepsi is frequently interacting with followers and posting to the hashtag #PepsiRefresh. Several promotional videos have appeared on Pepsi’s YouTube over the last month with the most recent featuring Demi Moore and Kevin Bacon discussing their ideas. Mashable wrote yesterday that Pepsi is receiving the most positive online buzz right now.
Now that the facts are out there, let’s discuss their implications. A recent study showed over 85 percent of senior marketers call social networks/applications a “top priority” or “important” for 2010. Pepsi’s significant step away from their iconic and expensive Super Bowl ads and gravitation towards social media marketing demonstrates a shift in the way companies are approaching marketing communications. Engagement is more than a metric; it’s the whole point.
What do you think of Pepsi’s online campaign? Now that the campaign has launched in full-force, will it be as successful as Super Bowl ads?
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