Results and Effectiveness

The integrated materials made a significant commotion, especially online. The trending topic #PacquiaoPositive caught on, trending twice in a span of a few days, even eliciting a response from Floyd Mayweather Jr. The initial goals set for Sting PowerPacq were achieved and more. The brand’s value and worth increased to 28% from 2011’s 19%. Top of mind and spontaneous awareness increased from 12 to 18% and 47 to 50% respectively. And for the first time in its history, Pepsico sold 24,000,000 cases of Sting in the span of a month, all due to the successful campaign.

Creative Execution

During the first phase of the campaign, to tease the public, the hashtag “#PacquiaoPositive” was spread all over Twitter, striking curiosity among netizens. Instigators on Twitter created rumors in order to strike discourse, enraging the public. False news articles online and on print were released, talking about the fast-spreading rumors, begging for verification and answers from the camp of the People’s Champ. Pacquiao was even told to promise an answer during his live television show. Triggering the launch of the campaign, all television stations simultaneously aired Manny Pacquiao’s mock press conference in a media roadblock. The spot featured Pacquiao confessing to the allegations that he is indeed “positive”…for the moringa-laced Sting PowerPacq. After the launch, the reveal was on every broadsheet and tabloid in the metro and in some regions all over the Philippines, with false covers and spreads showing Manny Pacquiao positive for Sting PowerPacq.

Insights, Strategy and the Idea

Sting Energy Drink currently holds the number two spot in the energy drink category, behind Coca Cola’s Cobra. With Manny Pacquiao being a well-known personality in the Philippines, he agreed to partner up with Pepsico to inspire the new formulation of Sting’s gold variant, now with the essence of Moringa. And Sting PowerPacq was born, carrying the champion boxer’s name, to establish a deeper affinity with the majority of the D/E market. The challenge was to launch an energy drink associated with a famous athlete for the first time ever. The campaign harped on a controversial issue Pacquiao was never far from: his alleged use of steroids and other illegal performance enhancing substances. The plan involved informing the public about Manny Pacquiao being “positive”, forming speculation that he is on some substance to help him win his matches. This was meant to generate a mixture of reactions.