2013 Winners & Shortlists

The Brief

Q: How do we keep up with a whole generation that is finding its entertainment ONLINE? A: Create our own branded entertainment channel ONLINE! The MENA region is the second largest consumer of video in the world. Pepsi spotted an opportunity to engage with its fans in a new, exciting way by creating an online platform, PepsiArabiaTV.com, to resonate with its young audience. We pushed the boundaries into entertainment to serve the online community by creating exclusive Pepsi produced video content . The objective was to deliver interactive and rewarding branded content to where the fans were – online.

Describe how the promotion developed from concept to implementation

The platform was designed and built to subtly reflect Pepsi and content was exclusively conceptualized, casted and shot for the channel, giving users a unique platform to consume and engage with the brand. The site is fully integrated with and promoted across social platforms, giving users the chance to see what their friends are watching as well as being able to share and comment on content. The site also allows users to upload their own ideas and material, so that in the future they too can be a part of the very fabric of the content.

Describe the success of the promotion with both client and consumer including some quantifiable results

Since launch, PepsiArabiaTV content has had over 3million views, with one video, Cupid, being the most shared in the MENA region across 7 days. The content has been shared over 45,000 times, the site has had over 700,000 visits and PepsiArabia's Facebook has doubled to over 1.6m fans. The videos have polarized opinion and incited debate, causing some to actively ask to be involved in the content and a few to express their dislike. But whichever way it’s looked at, the project has absolutely achieved its goal of engaging and entertaining consumers in a new and exciting way - online.

Explain why the method of promotion was most relevant to the product or service

With 15-25 year olds in the MENA region making up 42% of the online population** and Pepsi’s target demographic also being in that age range, the brand spotted an opportunity to create its own online platform that both resonates with and engages this young, tech savvy audience. Pepsi aimed to speak the youth’s language by producing content around themes it knew would not only engage them – football, comedy, music – but that are a part of Pepsi’s DNA too. The irreverent tone provoked the audience to encourage discussion and debate. *Cisco/Google data 2012, **Ernst & Young, 2012