| Title | PEPCITY |
| Brand | PEPSICO |
| Product/Service | LIVE EVENT |
| Category |
A05. LIVE EXPERIENCE |
|
Entrant Company
|
INVNT New York, USA
|
|
Contributing Company
|
INVNT Washington, DC, USA
|
Credits
| Kristina Mccoobery |
Invnt |
Executive Producer |
| Lauren Mcfadden |
Invnt |
Producer |
The Campaign
Strategically positioned as entertainment-based alternative to the hundreds of football-related brand activations across New York, the concept for PEPCITY was to combine gourmet food with music, art, sculpture, architecture, poetry, Broadway, multi-media and performance bringing together the many flavors of New York City with the many flavors of PepsiCo.
“For PepsiCo, we want to move beyond the traditional marketing and advertising play. We need a deeper connection to our customer and that means experiences,” said Jennifer Storms, Senior Vice President of Global Sports Marketing at PepsiCo. “As a proud New York company we want to give back to the Tri-State area. PepsiCo is creating memorable experiences around Super Bowl week and throughout the year globally,” she said.
Results
In celebration of Super Bowl XLVIII in New York, the mission from the very top of PepsiCo was to give a 100% free “gift and thank you” to the Tri-State area, celebrating the best of PepsiCo and the best of NYC. A concept was developed: at any time, people entering #PEPCITY would experience an eclectic, multi-sensory experience that would combine unique, gourmet culinary experiences with music, art, sculpture, architecture, poetry, music, media design and performance.
Each visitor received a pass that enabled guests to sample creations—custom- dishes using PepsiCo products and flavors—created by celebrity chefs David Burke, Michael Psilakis, and Marc Forgione. Installations crafted by contemporary artist Daniel Arsham enhanced the culinary experience. Inside the dome, a rotation of performances, including an appearance by Tony Award-winning poet Lemon Andersen, Broadway cast members performing highlights from hit musicals, a rap battle hosted by DJ/Hype man L-Boogs of NYC rap radio station Hot 97, an original Pepsi Hyped for Halftime performance, and an original piece of installation art curated by the artist collective Six01, captivated visitors. Every evening, #PEPCITY became a concert venue, featuring such attractions as teen sensation Austin Mahone, Latino star Prince Royce, and the iconic Ziggy Marley. One evening was devoted to a special charity concert In support of the Bob Woodruff Foundation, hosted by Jon Stewart of “The Daily Show” and featuring music by country star Blake Shelton and the West Point Glee Club. During the concert, the PepsiCo Foundation announced a $1 million donation to the charity.
Juxtaposing the flavors of PepsiCo with the truly unique culture of New York City created an innovative melding of experience—linking PepsiCo to the dynamism of performance and the visionary nature of art and installation—framing PepsiCo with refreshing new associations.
Crowds flocked to #PEPCITY via a broad mix of tactics. Local and national TV stations, and a variety of publications covered the event. Social media, generated by performers and guests, reinforced the coverage. A Pepsi/Tostitos activation on Broadway’s Super Bowl Boulevard acted as a Trojan Horse, sending traffic to #PEPCITY, a temporary structure in Bryant Park. #PEPCITY was housed in a 1,000 square-meter structure defined by a 36 meter long entrance experience, leading into a 12 meter high by 25 meter wide geodesic dome that featured custom media designed to engage and entertain those inside, and attract those outside.
With lines down the street every day, and over 13,000 visitors over 3 days, #PEPCITY was deemed a spectacular success by senior executives at PepsiCo. 120,000 ounces of PepsiCo beverages and 60,000 portions of custom food creations were served, delivering a unique culinary experience that made consumers think of PEPSICO brands from a fresh perspective.
PEPCITY created incredible social buzz, with over 1,400 Instagram postings and 7.5 million #PEPCITY related Twitter impressions. With each social media post, these attendees became not only participants in the experience, but brand ambassadors for PepsiCo. Media coverage of the success of the event included sources such as BizBash, The Huffington Post, Direct Marketing News, Successful Meetings, and Event Marketer, to name a few.