Pepsi launches epic, star-studded NFL campaign inspired by Gladiator II

Diving certificate:

• According to a press release, Pepsi is celebrating the start of the 2024 NFL season and the upcoming theatrical release of “Gladiator II” with a new campaign called “Make Your Gameday Epic.”
• In an epic 3-minute video, Megan Thee Stallion raps a new version of Queen’s iconic “We Will Rock You” while NFL stars Josh Allen, Derrick Henry, Justin Jefferson and Travis Kelce battle in a coliseum that eventually transforms into a football stadium.
• The campaign also includes a selfie generator tool, augmented reality “talking” cans, retail elements and a fandango offer, and shows how major marketers are bringing sports and culture marketing together.

Diving insight:

Pepsi is launching an all-out attack on pop culture with “Make Your Gameday Epic.” The campaign transports superstars from the NFL, pop music and television into a world inspired by “Gladiator II,” the highly anticipated sequel to Ridley Scott’s 2000 film, which hits theaters Nov. 22. The campaign also plays on a meme about how often men think about the Roman Empire that first gained popularity on TikTok last year.

In the three-minute anthemic spot, Lamorne Morris (“New Girl”) and Jake Lacy (“The White Lotus”) discuss fantasy football before looking inside a Pepsi can that transforms into a coliseum. The actors sit front row as NFL superstars (or “Gridiron Gladiators”) battle tigers while “Empress” Megan Thee Stallion raps along to “We Will Rock You.” Finally, the coliseum becomes a football stadium and then a Pepsi can, with Kelce quoting a famous line from the original “Gladiator”: “Are you not entertainment?”

“This gladiator-inspired campaign is a continuation of our brand’s long history of being at the forefront of culture, collaborating with iconic artists and celebrating football,” said Jenny Danzi, head of brand marketing at Pepsi, in a press release. “Consumers will see the magnitude of this campaign everywhere they shop, ensuring everyone is gearing up for game day this fall with football, food and ice cold Pepsi.”

The video was produced by Ridley Scott Associates, Paramount Brand Studio and directed by Jake Scott in association with Paramount Pictures.

To extend the campaign beyond the screen, Pepsi has planned several digital and in-person activations. A “My Roman Empire” tool lets consumers turn selfies into gladiator or Roman royal portraits, while limited-edition 16-ounce cans available through sweepstakes bring content from the set to life via AR. The campaign also includes in-store displays in English and Spanish, and an offer where consumers can receive a $10 Fandango movie as a reward with a $20 purchase of Pepsi products.

Megan Thee Stallion’s version of “We Will Rock You” is available on streaming platforms. The rap star will host the 2024 MTV VMAs on September 11, which will include a “gladiator moment.” The musical element ties in with a similar campaign launched nearly 20 years ago with Beyoncé, Britney Spears and Pink, which also reimagined “We Will Rock You” in a gladiator-inspired setting. Although often mistakenly remembered as a Super Bowl ad, that campaign never aired in America.

Pepsi’s NFL campaign comes on the same day that sister brand Tostitos launches its biggest NFL campaign yet, designed to reinforce the brand’s position as the official chip and dip product of the NFL. PepsiCo’s Frito-Lay and beverage divisions teamed up last year for a campaign that brought NFL legends Dan Marino, Emmitt Smith, Jerry Rice and Randy Moss out of retirement, among others.