The Campaign

We used this cultural tension among millennials and capitalised on the love that Chinese youth have for variety shows (65% love watching). We worked with one of the top Provincial Satellite TV channels in China – Zhejiang PSTV – to custom make a new variety show format that would have both the spirit of Pepsi Challenge at the heart and an engaging way to connect with Chinese youth. We created a new show with Zhejiang PSTV called Pepsi Challengers Alliance. A variety show featuring some of China’s hottest stars like Fan BingBing engaging in a series of Pepsi challenges that were designed to make them both approachable to youth and show their human rather than celebrity sides and also challenges that would play on the cultural tension we mentioned earlier.

Creative Execution

Variety shows in China sell at phenomenal premiums. So the key for Pepsi was the fact that we worked with the channel right from the concept stage to design the show. Because the show was designed from an early stage around the Pepsi Challenge we could incorporate many cues to the Live for Now spirit. By working directly with the channel and not the stars we were also able to avoid hefty celebrity fees as Fan BingBing sipped Pepsi in the show on multiple occasions and even Coca Cola ambassadors Lei Chien and Kris Wu were surrounded in blue through the show. The show was telecast for 13 weeks just after peak summer season catching Coca Cola completely by surprise as they pulled back on investment on Television for us to the same. And beyond Television we took it online as well across the five major online video channels.

When it comes to results in award entries targeting millennials it is easy to get caught in the hyperbole. And we will come to the incredible numbers. But for us the key results were the brand health results:- Compared to start of year:- • Top of mind for Pepsi increased 3% while Coke declined 2% • Brand I love and brand that sets trends increased 4% each while Coke grew just 1% • Cool brand rose 3% while Coke saw no gain at all Where we can go a full year and see only 1% of change in brand health, these were outstanding results! As were the consumer engagement numbers:- • Highest rated variety show launched in 2015 with a peak rating of over 3 TVRs • More than 500 Million Chinese viewers reached on TV • Close to 1.8 Billion online video views • Over 3 Billion social media impressions • Over 90% of social comments on brand integration were positive

Chinese millennials grew up in the extreme rapid growth of the Chinese economy. While generally optimistic about their future, they are under the social pressure that money is the most important measurement of success, and don’t find sense of achievement in their daily job. We used this cultural tension among millennials and capitalised on the love that Chinese youth have for variety shows. We worked with one of the top Provincial Satellite TV channels in China – Zhejiang PSTV – to custom make a new variety show format that would have both the spirit of Pepsi Challenge.

Insights, Strategy and the Idea

We tasked these celebrities to take a shot at living the work lives of ordinary Chinese people. Jobs where their celebrity status and fame could not really help them much. From being a security guard to a taxi driver to a waiter to a tourist guide, they did it all. In doing so we elevated everyday jobs into something worthy and showed the youth of China that it wasn’t just about the money but the skills they had to achieve success earning their everyday livelihood were worthy of acknowledgement. And the fish out of water challenges demonstrated the spirit of Pepsi Challenge.