Sazcast Episode 12 – Pepsi Drops Superbowl Ad for Social Media!

by Sarah Worsham on January 4, 2010

sazcastlogo250 After 23 years Pepsi is dropping its Super Bowl ads in favor of a social media campaign – Pepsi Refresh. And is the media ready to create real digital content? Please consider reviewing us on the iTunes site or emailing us your comments and ideas at sazcast@sazbean.com. Thanks!

Show notes. Here are the links we discussed in the podcast:

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We hope you’ll also join us in a week for our next episode. If you have a topic idea you’d like us to discuss, please email us at sazcast [at] sazbean [dot] com or send us a message on Twitter @sazbean. Intro Music by: Band: Tripudio, Song: Blue monday

Vincent Roman

What I like about this is that it takes a long term view. Who outside the ad industry remembers Whopper Sacrifice and other killer campaigns on the social web? Long term view, as Warren Buffet and others will tell you is the best kind of view.

sazbean

And it certainly isn't the typical PR stunt of using charity donations for brand awareness. While it certainly helps Pepsi's brand - and they've been very transparent that they'll be measuring it - what I think is interesting is the engagement with their customers about what they want Pepsi to donate to. Involving their customers is what social media does better than TV. Thanks for your comment and for listening. :)

Scott Bowman

I think the Pepsi move is not only smart, but is predictive of what a lot of companies will be doing in the near future. The Internet and social media continue to take "eyeballs" away from TV, so it makes sense to spend your money where your people are. Not that they couldn't still have a big impact with a SuperBowl ad, but I think being first gives them a bigger impact, AND they can interact with people, making it a two way communication.

Thanks guys for another informative Sazcast

sazbean

Scott, I agree. I think we'll see a lot of bigger companies moving marketing budgets from traditional media into digital and social media marketing. However, I think that effective marketing also requires different channels (where ever your customers are), so it usually isn't a good idea to remove traditional marketing entirely (depending on your product, company and customers). Pepsi certainly isn't leaving TV advertising entirely, but not buying a Super Bowl ad after 23 straight years certainly is an event!

Thanks for listening and for your comment! Thanks also for your review on iTunes - very much appreciated!