The latest iteration in the Refresh Everything campaign sees Pepsi pull its entire Superbowl budget - a staggering US$20 million - in favour of a CSR initiative. The move will mark the end of a 23 year investment in the game. The Refresh Project is a US-based campaign set up to reward those with big ideas for improving communities across the areas of health, arts and culture, charity, ecology, neighbourhood and education.
The campaign website will launch officially on January 13th on which users can submit their big ideas. From February 1st the public can cast their vote to decide the most worthy causes. Grants will then be awarded up to the total value of $1.3m per month over the course of the year.
The project will also be closely tied with an online reality show titled 'If I Can Dream' which will track five youngsters trying to crack Hollywood. Frank Cooper, SVP and chief consumer engagement officer, Pepsi-Cola North American Beverages said the show, which will be aired across Hulu and MySpace 'is one of many innovative ways the Pepsi Refresh Project will be featured in the digital space'.
The campaign follows the announcement by Pepsi that it will increase online advertising by 60% from 2009 expenditure. Cooper went on to say 'In 2010, each of our beverage brands has a strategy and marketing platform that will be less about a singular event, less about a moment, more about a movement'.
Check out the site at www.refresheverything.com or watch the Pepsi Refresh Project: $50K Inspirational Video.
