Spring is in the air, but Pepsi is ready for summer with over one-hundred 5-second ads for TV and online markets. These vignettes feature Pepsi bottles enjoying popular summer activities like sunbathing or eating ice cream, conveying quick but effective ideas through the use of emojis—specifically, designs by PepsiCo called “PepsiMoji.” A similar campaign was executed in Canada last summer, followed by Russia, Thailand and Pakistan and a specially-designed version will finally reach the U.S. this year.
Emojis have become increasingly popular in digital conversations, and the soda giant hopes to capitalize on the way these colorful icons tell a story without words. “We have the emojis elevate the stories in a way that we haven’t been able to before,” Linda Lagos, Pepsi brand marketing and digital director told Adweek. The ads will be accompanied by the hashtag, #sayitwithpepsi.
The particularly short length of these ads are unusual for TV commercials, and although Lagos says it was a challenge to convince networks to run the 5-second spots, Viacom, Turner Broadcasting and others are now on board.
Summer Online Searches Will Trigger Pepsi Ads
Pepsi also worked with Google to determine the top summer-related search terms, and have planned accordingly. For example, searching for “fireworks” or “tanning” will trigger one of the five-second spots related to that idea.
Pepsimoji uses the brand’s signature round shape and red, white and blue colors. These icons will be featured on Pepsi’s entire portfolio of bottles and cans throughout 100 global and locally-tailored markets. The company is embracing the idea of emojis beyond their drinks, making strategic partnerships in the world of fashion and sports. These efforts include a fashion collaboration with sports fashion designer, Jeremy Scott and a PepsiCo partnership with UEFA (Union of European Football Associations). Story, a gallery-like store in New York, is currently hosting four weeks of Pepsi-themed emoji events, “inspiring you to play with your words, food, even your clothes. Put on a happy face and let’s get emojional.”
https://youtu.be/sgO-68zdcz4
“Emojis are definitely here to stay. They’re global. My dad, who lives in Honduras, sends me emojis every day, which is hilarious,” Linda Lagos said. “What we love about them, which is so in tune with what Pepsi is about, is that they are a really great form of self-expression. And at Pepsi, we’ve celebrated all forms of self-expression.”
