Blog
12.09
Did Pepsi Commit Suicide?
Pepsi Max’s new lonely calorie campaign has been raising some controversy over the subject matter being used to sell the new Pepsi Max. Pepsi’s new campaign revolves around “One Very Very Very Lonely Calorie” and depicts a lone, blue calorie in various suicide acts within various suicide attempts. There’s an homage to “The Book of Bunny Suicides” as well as a genre of today’s teens and artistic expressions from artists such as Bob Dob and other edgy artists.
Pepsi’s target audience eats up this type of imagery and advertising. When you look at the laundry list of Pepsi spokespeople over the years – Michael Jackson (America), Brittney Spears (America), and Shakira (Latin America), just to name a few – Pepsi has made strides to speak to that teenage demographic and these ads don’t stray from that strategy.
There’s an old saying, “There’s no such thing as bad publicity,” and this is a shinning example that was driven by the creative of BBDO, Düsseldorf, Germany. These ads are meant to create a buzz, stir up some controversy, and ultimately sell Pepsi. The buzz and controversy has been satisfied by the subject matter and well-executed creative that catches the attention of more than the intended audience. The more the media and consumers discuss their views on these ads, the more free coverage and publicity they receive. They boost their Pepsi sales because Pepsi is now top of mind, and in the rebellious nature of the teenager, the more bad publicity these ads get, the more they want to have it.
For those who feel Pepsi has crossed the line with such a delicate subject, they too will come to forget their “outrage” and come to love Pepsi again through the tough task that Pepsi’s PR agency now has on its plate. Strategic crisis management will help ward off the negative comments and transform those once Pepsi loving fans back into the brand advocates they were, thus avoiding brand suicide.
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