By Sarah Johnson, marketingmagazine.co.uk, 17 November 2009, 08:45am

Pepsi plots to spoil Coke's World Cup tie

LONDON - Pepsi plans to hijack the 2010 FIFA World Cup, sponsored by rival Coca-Cola, with a global marketing campaign created partly by consumers.

Pepsi World Cup ad 2005

The soft-drinks brand is to launch a football- and Africa-themed campaign that will follow the release of a charity song, Oh Africa, in January. A global TV campaign featuring the song will launch in March, building up to the World Cup kick-off in June.

Pepsi is running a competition online, planned by MindShare, to offer members of the public the chance to sing on the recording of its song, performed by Akon, Keri Hilson and the Soweto Gospel Choir. Winners will be invited to visit the recording studios in Los Angeles.

Coca-Cola's global campaign will also feature a specially commissioned song, entitled Wave & Flag.

Its activity will be based on the theme of fans' and players' celebrations through an interactive campaign called the Celebration Award. Each time a player celebrates a goal with a dance, footage of it will be uploaded to a website, where fans can vote for their favourite. For each vote cast, the company will make a donation to its Water for Schools programme.

Pepsi undermined Coca-Cola's presence at the 2006 World Cup in Germany with its 'Pepsi Max World Challenge' campaign.

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All Comments

Victor Guillen - 17 November 2009

According to Fortune 500, PepsiCo's revenues in 2008 were U$D 43,251 millions and it is the global # 6 consumer goods company and it is larger than Coca-Cola.Some renowned brands are: Gatorade, Quaker Oats, Aquafina, SoBe, Seven-up, Tropicana, Toddy, Lay's, Doritos, Cheezitos, Walkers, etc.

Andrew Slater - 18 November 2009

Although Pepsi may have a bigger sales total, the brand Coca Cola is widely recognised throughout many countries, even where Coca Cola isn't sold. It is this strength that Pepsi want to break up in the soft drink market. The World Cup is an ideal opportunity to do this, but they have to be careful, as Coca Cola will retaliate stronger than ever before after Pepsi's last attack during the same period.