Pepsi Drinkers get to Design a Can!

Pepsi and Coke are both in similar positions, sales of soda continue to decline. The health craze that America is overwhelmed with has effected all soda companies and the leaders in these industries, Pepsi and Coke, are beginning their struggle to stay atop.

Today Pepsi will start a new contest, which they hope will attract more young customers. The challenge is to create a Pepsi can and the winner will receive a cash prize and have their design on 500 million cans. This contest is one part of a large Pepsi campaign, which focuses on the customers desinging everything from a NASCAR vehicle to a national billboard.

This campaign reflects the You Generation, a time where the consumers have so much say in what companies control. The Internet has made it possible for all of us to input our personal opinion on issues that only could have been expressed to your family and friends 10 years ago. Now it is possible for a student in Australia or Japan to design a can that will be seen by millions of other people worldwide.

Like the Ithaca College graduate who got to have his Doritos's commercial shown during the Superbowl, it is a privilege to have 500 million cans showing your design.

This campaign also gets their consumers interacting with the brand. During the contest, a participent will probably visit the website often, be more aware of Pepsi products and plublicity, and ofcourse, with hope, drink Pepsi. Because there is so much advertising now a days companies understand that they need to get their customers interacting with the brand rather than just viewing the message.

All in all I see this as a great campaign for both Pepsi and the participents involved. Letting the audience take control is a great new field that advertising is exploring.