Pepsi to Pull Super Bowl Ads, Consumers Decide What’s Next

DMNews reports that Pepsi is forgoing its past Super Bowl commercial model in favor of cause marketing ads that will address consumer thoughts on sustainability, the environment and social concerns.

The strategy is part of Pepsi’s $20 million cause-related Refresh Project, an initiative for individuals, businesses and nonprofits with innovative ideas that will have a positive impact on their local communities.

The average Super Bowl commercial spot runs about a cool $3 million. Pepsi reportedly spend $33 million in advertisements for 2009's game. Photo: Flickr/Fernando Ariotti

Pepsi spokesperson Nicole Bradley says the project’s main goal is to create an accessible discussion between loyal and prospective customers.

“The Super Bowl broadcast can be an amazing stage for broadcasters, and [PepsiCo subsidiary] Frito Lay will be there in a big way,” she tells DMNews. “But our beverage brands’ marketing strategy in 2010 [is] less about a singular event and more about a movement. We are always looking to further develop our two-way conversation with consumers.”

Now consumers can decide how Pepsi spends its money. Starting Feb. 1, Pepsi is accepting 1,000 new ideas every month. You can vote for up to 10 favorite ideas every day.

The winners will receive mega bucks from the beverage giant: two $250,000 prizes and up to 10 $50,000 awards each month.

Pepsi has pledged to reduce its water and energy consumption by 20 percent and fuel by 25 percent, as compared to 2006 levels, by 2015.

The company is well on its way: Pepsi has saved nearly 1.5 billion gallons of water in 2007 compared to 2006; purchased renewable energy certificates (RECs) to equal 100 percent of purchased electricity used by its U.S. facilities; and manufacturing facilities use landfill gas, reducing their consumption of fossil source fuels.