In Pepsi’s 2019 Super Bowl commercial, the beverage giant looks to prove it isn’t second fiddle to Coke.
At the beginning of the ad, when a customer asks a waiter for a Coke and he replies, “Is Pepsi OK?” Steve Carrell, Lil Jon and Cardi B tell the server that Pepsi’s “more than OK.”
"Every day, there are millions of people who enjoy Pepsi—people who love this brand—yet they continue to be asked 'Is Pepsi OK?’," Todd Kaplan, VP of marketing for Pepsi, said in a press release. "We felt that it was time to address this question head-on."
The 30-second ad from Goodby, Silverstein & Partners ran in Super Bowl LIII’s first quarter. Pepsi also ran a 10-second lead-in to the halftime show, which it sponsors, featuring Maroon 5, Travis Scott and Atlanta rapper Big Boi. Both the commercial and the lead-in follow Pepsi’s tradition of casting big-name stars, with an emphasis on singers and musicians this year.
The “More Than OK” campaign was accompanied by a social media giveaway that fans could enter to win limited edition, football-shaped cans of Pepsi.
Pepsi was one of three PepsiCo brands to get the Super Bowl treatment this year, with other spots for Bubly sparkling water and Doritos popping up later in the game; Goodby handled all three.
BRAND: Pepsi
YEAR: 2019
AGENCY: Goodby Silverstein & Partners
SUPER BOWL: LIII
QUARTER AIRED: Q1