Pepsi Refresh Project a HUGE Success

January 29, 2010

BROOKLYN — Since the Pepsi Refresh Program officially launched in January, the Internet has been abuzz with news and opinions on Pepsi’s new, history-making endeavor. For the first time in 23 years, Pepsi has redirected its $20 million Super Bowl Advertising budget into the Pepsi Refresh Project, a social media campaign that lets the online community decide which individuals and groups get awarded serious grants to help do good in the world.

Mashable lauds the efforts in the story "Social Media Marketing: How Pepsi Got it Right."

 

Social media marketing campaigns are proving to be goldmines rich with customer engagement and insight that companies wouldn’t likely have otherwise. Companies like PepsiCo are going to extensive lengths to foster this type of collaboration with fans, and the payoff has been big.

On Twitter, Ashton Kutcher reveals to his nearly 4.5 million followers that he can barely wait for the voting to begin:

 

@aplusk Where do you go to see all of the accepted Pepsi Refesh Ideas? Can we see the Ideas yet? Bueller... Bueller... anyone?

 

And over at the Mrs., Demi Moore prompts her loyal fanbase:

 

@mrskutcher What's your idea? Pepsi is giving away millions each month to fund refreshing ideas that change the world. http://bit.ly/7rnoPg

 

USA Today uses the Pepsi Refresh Project as an example of how the Internet can be used to help others:

 

Pepsi wants the public to suggest projects that can improve communities. It launched the Refresh Everything site to gather grant suggestions and take votes. Pepsi will give away millions per month to winning projects.Pepsi's undertaking is just one example of how the Internet can be used to raise money.

MediaPost, meanwhile, singles out the Pepsi Refresh Project in "5 Lessons Learned from the Frontline":

 

2009 seemed to be the year of the interactive quiz, poll or contest. Bloggers embraced the advertorial and marketers measured "engagement" as people checked the box or clicked the poll. But that doesn't mean it translated into consumers talking about the brand. The best incentives for Gen Y are ones that align with their core values, such as Pepsi's Refresh Project. In 2010, marketers and publishers will build more long term, participatory marketing campaigns that deliver an emotional connection to the brand and Gen Y's values.

And in LA, a pop-up soda fountain café sprouted to celebrate the launch of the project. A slew of celebs stopped by to learn more about the Pepsi Refresh Project, including Grey’s Anatomy Ellen Pompeo, Avatar star Zoe Saldana and actress Gabrielle Union.

 

 

 

Voting opens February 1st! 

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