I had a giant list of completely disgusting subject lines for this post, but I’m not going to put them up there, because I respect you as a person. Sure, I could have easily laid out a couple of cracks about how Pepsi didn’t call the Superbowl the next day or offer to buy it breakfast, but nope, I’m better than that, you’re better than that, and I think it means we’re growing a little… together.

The completely grown up headline refers to an article in Advertising Age that broke this morning with the shocking news that “PepsiCo Pulls Beverage Ads From Super Bowl” (link).  Advertising Age is losing its shit over this because, well, PepsiCo always does the Super Bowl! And for them, that’s reason enough to keep doing the damn expensive thing over and over again without question.

Turns out, Pepsi is going to focus on its new social initiative and utilize social media to socially give out about $20 million in grants to social organizations.  Wow, I typed the word social so many times in that last sentence, it looks like I’m keyword stuffing.

Super Bowl ads this year are going for between $2.5 and $3 million for 30 seconds and PepsiCo would end up doing a boat load of them between ads for Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, Pepsi Max, and Gatorade.  Sounds pretty smart to me, Ad Age, skip the overpriced sports game and put the money into cause marketing.  Plus, between not doing the Super Bowl and not having to pay Tiger Woods’ endorsement for Gatorade, PepsiCo’s bottom line is going to look awesome in 2010. It’s hip, it’s smart, and if anyone can handle a lack of an appearance in the Super Bowl, it’s Pepsi.

I know you think it’s a giant risk, Advertising Age, but trust me, Pepsi isn’t going to lose any customers from not playing in the big game.  They could miss out completely on not hitting the folks that only watch TV once a year, but I’m pretty sure they’ll make up that exposure somewhere else that’s a hell of a lot cheaper, like, say, every third billboard from LA to friggin’ Irvine…

I’m sure they appreciate your concern, they really do, but right now they’re just going through a lot of stuff and they’re busy with work and really can’t commit to anything serious.  No, no, no… pulling out doesn’t mean that they don’t love the Super Bowl, it just means they’re just not ready for the consequences of leaving it in… leaving the ADS in! Crap, I did it anyway, didn’t I?

J.

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